In Episode 5 of "Idol I," the narrative picks up with Se-na losing control of the car and veering off the street. She tells Ra-ik that the vehicle is acting up as she swerves off the highway. In a desperate attempt to save her life, Ra-ik throws himself over Se-na just before the car is about to crash.
Se-na wakes up in the hospital after a nightmare about losing her father in the forest. Ra-ik is by her side as she clutches his hand. Once she regains consciousness, Chung-jae shows up to check on her. Ra-ik assures him that neither of them has sustained any major injuries.
Chung-jae grows concerned when Se-na asks him to look into how the car began malfunctioning. At the reception area, Ra-ik spots Reporter Baek and worries about being pulled into another controversy. He informs Se-na, and the two rush out of the hospital to avoid the reporters.
At the prosecutor's office, Byung-kyun's senior reprimands him for involving Hye-ju in the murder investigation, given her family's influence. He calls Byung-kyun a nepo kid who risks tarnishing his family's legacy and tells him to buckle up and win the case.
Byung-kyun leaves the office and recalls his last conversation with Se-na as a teenager. Before transferring schools because of his bullying, Se-na wished him well and promised to ruin his future as a prosecutor. In the present, Byung-kyun remains in a sour mood as he meets Nam-sik. Nam-sik informs him that Jae-hee's alibi is compromised, alleging that he was not at the hospital as claimed. Alarmed, Byung-kyun asks the cop to investigate Jae-hee as Ra-ik's accomplice instead of letting Ra-ik go scot-free.
On the taxi ride home, Ra-ik instinctively tries to shield Se-na the same way he did during the accident. The ride is filled with awkward silence. When they arrive at Se-na's house, Ra-ik notices her injury and carries her inside.
Meanwhile, Byung-kyun's father, Jong-chul, apologizes to Imhwa Group Chairman Hong for involving his daughter, Hye-ju, despite her innocence. Chairman Hong is angered by the controversy caused by Byung-kyun's actions and requests Jong-chul to use his experience to quietly close the murder investigation, as he has done in the past.
Elsewhere, Hye-ju learns about Ra-ik's accident and grows concerned. She defies her father's instructions and orders her secretary to find Ra-ik's current address. At Se-na's house, Ra-ik notices that he endorses most of the food she has purchased. He overhears her screaming in the bathroom and checks on her. Ra-ik insists that she dry her hair and questions why she took a shower despite her injured arm.
He recalls the nickname Byung-kyun used for Se-na and realizes that his words affected her more than she admitted. Se-na says the nickname makes her uncomfortable, but Ra-ik tries to cheer her up by teasing Byung-kyun. Se-na smiles, and Ra-ik finds himself staring at her in quiet awe.
Ra-ik steps out to break the moment. Later that night, the two have dinner while Se-na works in silence. Ra-ik attempts small talk and comments on how he endorses all the products she buys. Se-na insists she likes the brand because it is good, not because of him.
Ra-ik accepts her answer and admits that he often feels like a product himself. Se-na asks if that makes him feel undeserving of love. Ra-ik explains that the people who loved him did so because of his public image, not who he truly is. He admits that he does not know how to reciprocate such affection. Ra-ik adds that he is grateful Se-na is not his fan, as he does not fear disappointing her.
In this way, the tension between Ra-ik and Se-na is palpable, and their interactions are filled with a sense of vulnerability and understanding that only deepens as they share their thoughts and feelings.
Chung-jae later discovers that Se-na’s car had been tampered with, with a punctured wheel causing the steering to lock. He informs Se-na and questions why her dashcam was turned off. Se-na admits that she forgot to turn it back on after Ra-ik and Hye-ju’s conversation in her car.
Ra-ik overhears Chung-jae suggesting that he himself may have sabotaged the car to create sympathy. Se-na firmly rejects the idea and stops Chung-jae from calling Ra-ik a murderer. She defends Ra-ik, recalling how he risked his life to save her, and tells Chung-jae that she wants to be someone who believes in him during his darkest moments.
Elsewhere, Jae-hee is interrogated by Byung-kyun regarding his alibi on the night of Woo-seung’s murder. Despite his lawyer’s attempts to intervene, Jae-hee loses his composure and hints that he knows Ra-ik’s motive. At the same time, Goldi Entertainment CEO Man-sik speaks with Manager Han-gu about Jae-hee’s interrogation, making it clear they are hiding something.
Back at Se-na’s house, Ra-ik helps her remove the bandage from her wrist, and the two share a quiet moment. They are interrupted when Chung-jae arrives to take Se-na to the police station. Ra-ik accompanies them and is shocked to learn that the culprits behind the accident are his sasaeng fans. The girls claim Se-na deserved it for defending Ra-ik.
Though Se-na demands punishment for the life-threatening act, Ra-ik asks the police to let them go, requesting only that they never harm Se-na again. Se-na is upset by his decision, but Ra-ik insists he does not want more trouble.
Se-na later receives a call from work and meets her boss, Gwang-soo, who urges her to drop the case. He reveals that Jae-hee’s statement has led to prosecutors seeking a joint interrogation with Ra-ik and cites a conflict of interest due to their firm’s ties with Goldi Entertainment. Se-na refuses to abandon Ra-ik and decides to quit her job for the duration of the case.
She and Ra-ik visit Young-bin, who confesses that he lied to protect Jae-hee. He recalls Jae-hee becoming agitated after reading hateful comments from Ra-ik’s solo stans and sneaking out of the hospital that night, never returning by morning. Feeling betrayed, Ra-ik leaves. He tells Se-na that he was once close to Jae-hee and Young-bin, but fame changed him, creating distance between them.
Back at Se-na’s house, she tells Ra-ik the story of the tickle tree her father once shared with her. Using the tree in her garden, she explains that trust, like growth, requires enduring pain before renewal. She compares Ra-ik’s struggle to her own after losing her father. Ra-ik tests the tickle tree, seeking reassurance of his innocence.
The episode ends with Hye-ju arriving at Se-na’s house and asking Ra-ik to live with her instead. The scene is filled with emotions as Hye-ju's offer adds another layer of complexity to Ra-ik's already tumultuous situation.
