As events unfolded, it became clear that Shu had been too hasty.
Blinded by the gazes of those around them, the two Shus, who believed themselves to be at the center of public opinion, had completely failed to notice that the topic of conversation had quietly shifted.
Thus, what was supposed to be Shu's admission of being a fan of Shu, became in the eyes of others...
In that instant, the girls' eyes swept over like searchlights, their gazes blossoming with the immense joy of finding their "organization" on the faces of the two "Stelles."
"Really?! You're fans of Lord Kiana too?!"
"That's great! I knew you had good taste!"
"Welcome to the 'Kiana Energy Station'! We're all family now!"
"Sister! Good taste! Lord Kiana is the best!"
The enthusiasm didn't wane; instead, it burned even brighter.
After all, the Fire Moth had long suffered from "Shu fans." Although most of the people present were also fans of Shu, they were by no means supporters of the "Shu-only theory."
In their eyes, Shu had only contributed 80% of the Fire Moth's achievements; the contributions of others could not be ignored.
And what these "non-Shu fans" were doing was to discover the greatest contributor besides Shu.
The girls cheered and swarmed over without another word, some patting the two "Stelles" on the shoulder, others attempting to hug them, which the two stiffly dodged.
The slightly interrogative "questioning" atmosphere from before instantly dissipated, replaced by the excitement of "finding a long-lost relative."
"We must celebrate! Today is a good day, we've recruited two new members!" the twin-tailed girl announced excitedly.
"We have to hold a formal initiation ceremony for you later! How about in the central square of the living area? We can prepare support boards and banners!"
"Yes, yes! And this!" The short-haired girl took out two carefully preserved metal badges from her shoulder bag and, without taking no for an answer, pinned them to the fronts of the two "Stelles'" hoodies.
The badges were hand-drawn, the design a chibi Kiana head with her iconic pigtails and a brilliant smile. Next to it were the handwritten words "Kiana, attack!"
Perhaps due to the need for mass production, the drawing of Kiana's head wasn't particularly good in Shu's eyes, but the pigtails, the iconic ahoge, the pure azure eyes, and that sunny smile...
Yes, this was Kiana. All her characteristic features were obvious, and anyone could see the artist's dedication.
But even though the badge was quite well-made, Shu still felt like it was a red-hot branding iron, making his chest feel tight.
[Shu] even subconsciously raised his hand to take it off, but was immediately "stopped" by the girls.
"You can't take it off! It's our symbol! Once you put it on, you're one of us!"
"You have to wear it all the time! Let everyone know you support Lord Kiana!"
Without giving them any room to refuse or explain, the girls crowded around the two "Stelles," whose brains had already crashed. Following the slowly moving queue, they were half-pushed, half-coaxed to the food service window.
"Auntie! Give these two new sisters some extra meat! They're new fans of Lord Kiana! They need to replenish their energy!" The twin-tailed girl even "shouted" to the food server on their behalf, attracting a wave of good-natured laughter and more curious gazes from the surroundings.
And no one paid any attention to the terrified expressions on the two "Stelles'" faces.
How can someone announce something like this so loudly?!
What terrified Shu even more was that the food server auntie actually seemed to know these active "support group" members.
She cheerfully acknowledged the fan club members, then skillfully scooped an extra spoonful of braised pork onto the two "Stelles'" trays.
Holding trays piled high with food, the two of them hadn't even come back to their senses before they were "escorted" away from the food line by the enthusiastic girls.
"This way, this way! We have seats over there!"
"Come on, sit! Tell us, how did you come to like Lord Kiana?"
"Was it from watching her charge at the forefront? So cool!"
"Or is it because of her personality? Always so cheerful, like a little sun!"
The girls chattered like happy little birds, leading the two puppet-like "Stelles" through the noisy cafeteria to a long table where several people were already seated.
This was clearly the base of the "Kiana Support Group"!
The two even saw some self-made support cards and cups printed with Kiana's silhouette scattered on the table.
"Sit, sit! Don't be shy!"
"We're all supporters of Lord Kiana, we're friends!"
The two "Stelles" were pressed down by their shoulders onto one side of the long table.
In front of them was a fragrant but completely unappetizing lunch. In their ears was a constant stream of "promotions" and questions. The chibi Kiana badge on their chests glinted slightly under the cafeteria lights, like a dull knife stuck in their hearts.
They glanced at each other. This time, they didn't even have the strength to look away.
In each other's eyes, the two Shus saw the same thing.
A bottomless bewilderment, a heart-wrenching embarrassment, a silent scream hidden in their hearts, and a faint sense of wanting to die.
He really just wanted to eat a quiet meal...
How did he suddenly fall into this wolf's den?
Shu woodenly picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth.
Yes, as expected.
It was tasteless...
This long and torturous lunch finally came to an end amidst a heated discussion about "research on Lord Kiana's favorite snack brands."
The two "Stelles" were like two stone statues pressed into their seats. Apart from mechanically putting food into their mouths and occasionally making meaningless, monosyllabic noises of agreement, they barely participated at all.
The expressions on their faces remained in a state of almost numb calmness, their eyes vacant, their bodies stiff, completely out of sync with the fervent, almost boiling fan atmosphere around them.
However, this excessive silence and restraint were interpreted differently by the enthusiastic but not completely unobservant fans.
"Hey, do you guys feel... that the Stelle sisters are so quiet?" The twin-tailed girl whispered to her companion while handing the two a napkin.
"I noticed. They sit up so straight when they eat, barely talk, and their movements are so proper..." The short-haired girl said thoughtfully, "And look at their demeanor. Even though they're just wearing ordinary hoodies, look... they're completely different from us."
"Could it be... they're from one of those families with super strict rules? The kind of old-fashioned, prestigious family where you 'don't talk while eating or sleeping'?" The girl with the headband whispered her guess, a bit more awe and curiosity in her eyes.
"No wonder their reactions were half a beat slow when we asked them questions earlier. Maybe they're not used to us being so lively?"