"Too busy to handle it"?
"Epic-level nerf"?
All smoke and mirrors!
That old geezer Otto definitely had everything planned out long ago!
Shu could even imagine the keikaku doori expression on Otto's face right now as he watched the live broadcast of the convention in Sapphire City.
"Didn't expect that, did you!
"How could I possibly be absent from Kallen's support event?
"Even if I have to use automated scripts to dispatch resources, remotely review proposals, and preset production lines three months in advance... I will have her shine here, in her most perfect form!"
Unbearably filthy rich, I tell you, unbearably filthy rich!!
The skies above this Fire Moth are truly dark!
Shu was almost too tired to even complain.
Compared to this guy's "passion," the other fan clubs were like amateurs generating power with love.
And the person in question, Kallen Kaslana herself, sitting in the front row, had an expression ten times stiffer than Fu Hua's just now.
Her eyes were wide open, watching the infinitely beautified and sanctified "herself" on stage perform "great feats" that didn't exist in her memory at all, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Does this count as her lying?
Does she really have to do these things to not be lying?
Ahhhhhh Otto you're finished ahhhhhhh—
She subconsciously looked left and right, hoping to get some resonance or help from her companions.
Theresa was still immersed in her previous shame and hadn't fully recovered.
Bianca was watching quite seriously, her eyes sparkling like a galaxy.
Rita had already returned to her perfect maid demeanor, watching with a smile.
Fu Hua was meditating, oblivious to her surroundings.
Kallen silently brought her gaze back to her own knees.
Ah... I really have to keep working hard...
I'll talk about it when I've really done as much for everyone as that "Kallen" on stage...
Otto's "unbearably filthy rich" support, was like a stone... no, a shining gem thrown into a lake.
It created magnificent ripples, making the atmosphere of the entire convention begin to surge at an accelerated pace.
When the host came on stage, his voice was filled with excitement: "What an unimaginably spectacular presentation! Thank you to the 'White Heron's Vow' group! This has undoubtedly set a new benchmark for this convention!"
Below the stage, Kallen buried her face in her hands and sighed silently.
"Next, let's welcome one of the most watched dark horses of this convention, the [Kiana Energy Station]! They will bring us their first program—the stage play, The Thundering Theater!"
"Pfft—!!"
Shu, who was about to take a sip of water to relax, almost spat it all out.
And it wasn't just him; [Shu] also started coughing violently.
Even everyone sitting in the front row looked at the stage in shock when they heard the name, only Bianca and Rita showed some confusion.
The Thundering Theater... wait, host, did you really get the name right... wait...
Shu, who was hastily wiping the water off his face, suddenly realized something.
Where's Mei?
He remembered that Mei was clearly here today, and she even said she had a performance tonight...
And...
Mei is also a member of the [Kiana Energy Station]!!
Which means, this The Thundering Theater—
Is Mei herself going to star in it?!
The lights came on, but they did not shine on a magnificent palace or a gorgeous stage.
They were restrained, becoming cold and even a bit lonely, focusing on a simple classroom scene in the center of the stage.
As the sound of the curtain opening was heard, Mei walked out under a lonely spotlight, accompanied by her monologue.
"Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived a peaceful and ordinary life just like everyone else..."
In the plain monologue, that lonely spotlight expanded to the entire stage, revealing the entire stage's layout.
The lights were bright, and everything in sight was bright.
Around Mei, people who were probably her classmates approached, speaking distorted words in front of her. Judging from their posture, they were mostly friendly voices.
Obsequious.
People surrounded Mei in the center, praising the sumptuous bento her father had prepared, flattering her with all their might. Every word came from the heart, and every sentence was pleasant and kind.
Under the lights, the girl's beautiful life was displayed in front of everyone. She was like a princess, living in a world of "We all like you."
Then, the lights suddenly dimmed.
The world of "We all like you" collapsed without a sound, and the "Criminal's" life, condemned by a thousand fingers, also came silently.
The lights in the venue seemed to have suddenly broken. They could only cast their light on the suddenly dilapidated classroom.
The chirping animals no longer surrounded the most cheerful bird. The ones who had just been sincerely praising the bird's singing voice now avoided the bird's approach like a snake or scorpion.
"Who wants to eat with you, you criminal's daughter!"
"We hate you!"
They said.
The bird, driven away from spring, opened her bento in disappointment, only to find that she didn't seem to have the beautiful singing voice they had praised.
She was just a crow with a piece of meat in her beak.
And in that spring, there were no chirping little animals, only drooling foxes.
An urgent piano piece sounded at this time. The rapid and smooth rhythm was like a hidden wave, pressing and pushing the disheartened Mei forward.
And the laughter pursued her, surging from all directions towards Mei in the center of the stage, as vast as the ocean, as suffocating as a swamp...
...
"Mei, look! What's that!"
The familiar voice made the already quiet scene tremble suddenly.
A white-haired girl with a pair of twin braids, wearing a simple, plain, but particularly beautiful school uniform, appeared.
She pointed dramatically at the sky, then blinked her pure blue eyes, reached out, and unreasonably took the rice ball from Mei's lunch box, and stuffed it into her mouth in one go.
A surprised cheer suddenly erupted in the venue.
It's Kiana!
The performer of this program was not just Mei, even the character of Kiana was played by Kiana herself!!
This is simply...
Everyone watched with anticipation as Kiana and Mei exchanged bentos on the rooftop, watching Mei's surprised expression at Kiana's completely burnt homemade bento, and listening to Kiana's unsparing praise for Mei's cooking skills...
They watched Kiana in the rain hand her umbrella to Mei, while she herself ran away with her schoolbag over her head.
They watched in the classroom as Kiana hissed like a little cat at those who spoke ill of Mei, and watched Kiana confidently tell Mei in front of her that she didn't care about those rumors.
"Because, Mei is Mei."
Because...
You are you.
There are no superfluous factors, no special coincidences...
Your bento might not actually be that delicious, but you made it.
That umbrella might not have been that small, but you needed it.
You might not really care about the rumors swirling around you, but I do.
Because it's about you...
Do you know?
Even before fate and our meeting.
I already liked you...