Hey there, Aria here!
Have you ever encountered a celebrity in public? In my previous life, this wasn't exactly a rarity. I used to hang out in places where celebrities gathered all the time, and some even tried to get me to sponsor them. It was just another Tuesday back then.
But in this life? This was the first time I'd ever run into a celebrity. And not just any celebrity—one who was the same age as me. It's too bad our first meeting wasn't exactly what you'd call ideal.
"Hey, can you climb?" I asked Syena as we ran through the alley, trying to escape the growing crowd behind us.
"What?" she panted, clearly bewildered by my question.
"That's a no, huh?" I muttered. "Well, no problem."
Before she could even process what I meant, I bent down, hooked an arm around her legs, and hoisted her onto my shoulder in one swift motion.
"Wha—?! Wait, wait, wait—!" she yelped, squirming.
"Brace yourself," I warned.
And then—I jumped.
With Syena in my arms, I jump over the nearest wall, my feet landing soundlessly on the other side. I barely even staggered, but Syena? Yeah, she was not handling it as well.
"What the hell?!" she gasped, gripping onto me for dear life. "What even are you?!"
I grinned. "Just someone who knows how to make a quick exit."
Behind us, the crowd that had been forming was still clueless about where we went. For now, we were safe.
"Alright," I said, setting her down. "Now, before we go any further, let's talk. What's a famous actress like you doing running around alone without bodyguards?"
"I... don't have one," she said in a small voice, barely above a whisper.
I blinked. Wait, what?
She was Syena Fiolera—one of the most famous young actresses right now. How the hell was she walking around without a single bodyguard? That just didn't add up.
"You're kidding me, right?" I asked, my brows furrowing.
She shook her head. "My family didn't let me hire one."
I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "Hold on—your family stopped you from getting a bodyguard? You? A famous actress who literally just got mobbed in public?"
She didn't answer right away, instead looking down and fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. Her posture screamed discomfort.
"That doesn't make any sense," I muttered, crossing my arms. "Most celebrities have bodyguards even when they don't want them. But you—someone with a legit reason to need one—don't have any?"
She bit her lip, clearly hesitant. "It's... complicated."
I raised an eyebrow. "Complicated how?"
She hesitated, then finally sighed. "...My family doesn't think I need one. They say hiring security would make me 'weak' and 'dependent' on others." She clenched her fists. "They think I should handle things myself."
I stared at her, completely baffled. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself… My name is—"
"Aria. I know," she suddenly cut me off.
Huh? Does she know me?
"We're classmates, after all," she added, looking at me like it should've been obvious.
Wait, what? She's in my class? How did I not notice?
"We're classmates? But earlier, you asked who I was," I pointed out, confused.
"I asked what you are," she corrected, crossing her arms. "How the hell did you jump that high? But... never mind. Forget it." She let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "Thanks for the help… and goodbye."
She turned on her heel, clearly ready to walk away.
But before I could think, my hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder. "Wait, wait—hold on a second!"
She froze, looking back at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh…" Crap. Why did I do that? What am I even trying to say? Think, brain, think!
"Let's, uh… hang out a bit?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
The moment I said it, regret hit me like a truck. Wait, what am I doing? Am I trying to pick her up?! I'm a girl now!
Syena blinked, clearly caught off guard. For a moment, she just stared at me, probably wondering what kind of weirdo she just ran into.
Then, to my absolute shock, she shrugged.
"Alright," she said casually. "Where do you wanna go?"
Wait… what? She actually agreed?!
Uh… I didn't really have a place in mind. I just blurted that out without thinking.
Before I could come up with something, Syena sighed and shook her head.
"Goodbye…" she said, her tone flat as she turned and walked away without another word.
I stood there awkwardly, watching her leave, feeling like I had just completely fumbled whatever that was.
"Uh… see you in school," I mumbled, but she was already gone.
That was probably the worst first impression I've ever given to someone.
I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair as I replayed the awkward interaction in my head. What was I even thinking? Asking her to hang out when I didn't even have a plan? No wonder she just walked off.
Well, whatever. No point dwelling on it now.
Shaking off the weird encounter, I turned around and made my way back to the fast-food restaurant. Yuuji was probably still waiting for me there—along with Father and Irana.
Thinking about that, I suddenly felt a small pang of concern. What exactly was Father doing here? And why did Irana come with him?
In front of the restaurant, the crowd had already dispersed. The commotion from earlier had settled, and everything was back to normal. I glanced around, but I didn't see Yuuji, Irana, or Father anywhere. They were probably already inside.
I took a deep breath and stepped through the door, the familiar scent of fried food and warm bread greeting me as I entered.
"Onee-chan! Over here!!"
I heard Yuuji's cheerful voice calling out to me. Turning toward the source, I spotted them sitting at a booth near the window. Yuuji was waving enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw me.
Father and Irana were sitting across from him, eating their meals in a surprisingly calm manner—well, calm for Irana at least. She was sipping her drink nonchalantly while Father, looking way too relaxed, took a bite of his burger.
As soon as I sat down, Father smirked at me, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"How was your date, sweetie?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.
I nearly choked on air. "What date…?" I asked, furrowing my brows.
Irana, sipping on her drink, leaned forward with a sly grin. "Grabbing a girl's hand and dramatically saving her from a crowd? That totally felt like something straight out of a romance drama.
"I raised an eyebrow. "That's what you call a date?"
Irana shrugged. "If it looks like a date and sounds like a date…"
I groaned, shaking my head. "Whatever. Anyway, what are you two doing out here?"
"Just having fun," Father said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his drink. "You and Yuuji were having fun together, right? Same for us."
I narrowed my eyes. "Having fun…? That's suspicious. You're not dragging Irana into something weird, are you?"
"Hey!" Irana pouted. "I'm my own person. I can make my own choices."
"That's right," Father chimed in with a grin. "I didn't drag her anywhere. We're simply out and about, enjoying a lovely father-daughter bonding moment. Totally normal."
I didn't buy it for a second.
"And what about Mom?" I asked, crossing my arms.
Father let out a dramatic sigh. "She's busy streaming, of course. Becoming a successful Vcuber takes dedication."
Irana rolled her eyes. "More like she's locked in her room, screaming at chat while playing horror games."
Yuuji, who had been quietly listening, suddenly perked up. "Oh! I watched her last stream! She knocked over her camera when she got scared, and everyone in chat started spamming 'RIP setup.'"
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "At this rate, she's going to be more famous than any of us."
Father grinned. "Wouldn't be surprised if she gets a sponsorship deal before the year ends."
I stared at him. "You sound way too proud of that."
He smirked. "Of course! My wife is talented."
I shook my head, deciding not to question it further. "Anyway, if we're all done teasing me, can we just eat?"
Irana and Father exchanged amused glances but didn't push further—for now.