Sinister laughter echoed through the dimly lit main hall.

“Ugly duckling…”

“How dare she dream to be a super-idol…”

No, I’m not the one to blame. I’ve done nothing wrong. No one should harmed me…Rika felt as though she had been doused in ice-cold water, but she summoned all her strength to lift her chin.

The same exaggerated red lips and gleaming white teeth, those mouth swirled around her, spewing words that pierced her heart.

But this time was different.

A bucket of water was hurled onto the center of the stage, yet miraculously it remained still, not a single drop of water splashing out. With a resounding click, a spotlight focused on the bucket of water.

This anomaly silenced the strange mouths, granting her the tranquility she desperately needed.

Anya’s voice seemed to emerge from thin air. “You are the one meant to claim the center position on the stage!”

And then Ceci’s voice chimed in, “Are you going to allow the bucket to steal the spotlight that belongs to you?”

“Are you going to accept you fate just like that?”

“And let it become your eternal regret, one from which you’ll never forget?”

No, I…I refuse to accept such fate…I refuse to succumb to this mistreatment…

“So what will you do?”

I…

Rika woke up to her sun-drenched bedroom, just as her alarm clock chimed, signaling the start of a new day.

I’m going to make a change.

“Wow, Rika, you’re wearing contact lenses!” Her classmate seemed taken aback by her transformation. “Are you going for a new style?”

“Yeah, I’m considering trying out a new style. You know, we’ll be heading off to college next year, and I want to make a good impression.” Rika replied with a smile.

“Well, your old style was fine. It’s just that you seemed a bit shy and hard to approach,” another classmate chimed in. “Oh, your hair style is different today too! You’ve tied up your bangs. No wonder you look so sporty. Showing your face really lights up you mood. Don’t you think?”

The classmate who had greeted her earlier nodded in agreement. “Absolutely! That’s why I’m not a fan of heavy bangs. They block my vision and dampen my spirits. But some girls really rock that style… Do you think I should give it a try?”

“Nah, I’d suggest experimenting with a different style. It’s not your thing,” the other classmate shook his head and then turned to Rika, “Keep trying different looks. I’m sure you’ll find one that suits you. By the way, Shoko knows a lot about fashion trends. Maybe she could help you out.”

“Thanks, I’ll do my best.” Rika smiled again. Glancing over, she noticed Anya and Ceci waiting by her desk, brimming with curiosity and anticipation.

“So…Have you made up your mind?” Anya nudged Rika playfully.

“Yes, and I need your help.” Rika looked at her two best friends, “I’m plan to do fasting today. Could you both accompany me to the main hall after school? I…I want to give it a try.”

“Sure, count us in!” Ceci gave Rika a warm hug.

Class was proceeding as usual, and Rika felt hunger and thirst starting to peak; this is her way of controlling the diarrhea…and her mom encouraged her after learning about her decision by promising to make a fantastic dinner that evening.

Rika didn’t plan to dwell too long in this challenging phase of her life.

She had aspired to become a super-idol since childhood, and she had practiced relentlessly and prepared herself for that moment. Even after the incident, she secretly continued her singing practice, despite believing that she had no hope of returning to the stage.

She was ambitious, and once she set her mind on something, she would do everything in her power to achieve her goals.

“Are you ready?” Ceci stood on the stage, her hand raised with a delicate (and expensive) cake (that had cost her a week’s worth of pocket money). “Be on stage for five minutes, and this cake is yours! I know you’ve been longing to taste it since last month, but it was too expensive so I bought it for you now! Be here, or it will end up in my stomach by the end of the day!”

Anya stood beside Rika, right in front of the door, holding a gorgeous stage costume she had worn for a cosplay event. She exclaimed, “Go Rika, you can do this! Be on stage for 5 minutes, and I’ll prepare your costume for the performance! You remember how skilled I am at making costumes, right?”

Rika knew how much effort Anya had put into the costume she held in her hands. Anya has carefully kept it in the closet and cherished it as her treasure. But now, she had taken out this costume just to encourage her best friend.

“Yes, I can do it…”Rika’s hand trembled, and her voice quivered.

She marched toward the stage, slowly but with determination.

Ten steps.

Her heartbeat was so loud, that she could barely hear the affirmations from her friends.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Twenty steps.

Her stomach started to growl again, but she knew there was nothing it could do since it had been empty since she woke up that morning.

Forty steps.

Just a bit more and she would reach the staircase. The cake in Ceci’s hand seemed to be under a spotlight, shining brightly on the stage.

Sixty steps.

She reached the edge of the stage. Her uncontrollable heartbeat continues, and her hand still trembled…The stage she had yearned for was just a few steps away.

Eighty steps.

“Yes, you’re doing great!” Ceci’s voice pierced through the pounding of her heart. “Now, just look at Anya, just look at her!”

Anya had moved to the front row in front of the stage, still holding the costume. She exclaimed loudly, “Sing a song, Rika! Sing a song!”

Rika felt a cylinder object being placed in her palm…It felt just like a microphone.

She instinctively held it in front of her lips, opened her mouth, and began to sing amidst the cheers of her friends.

A perfect voice echoed through the main hall, a voice that Ceci and Anya hadn’t heard in years. It was familiar, yet it had matured and sounded slightly different from what they remembered.

When the song finally ended, both of them clapped cheerfully and happily.

“You did it!”

“I knew you can do it!”

“Let’s celebrate!” Ceci grabbed Rika’s arm. “Come on, let’s enjoy the cake!”

Rika’s mind was still in a whirl when she found herself back beneath the stage, holding a plastic fork and savoring a delicious bite of cake. The sweetness of the cake finally awakened her.

“I…I did it?” Rika murmured, and her friends heard her.

“Yes,” they confirmed again. “Yes, you did it! We recorded a video for you. You did it!”

She was fine. Her hand wasn’t shaking, her stomach wasn’t acting up, and she had successfully performed a song on stage…

Her eyes gleamed. “I did it. I really did it!”

“Now, we’ll prepare you for the audition. Let’s give everyone at school a big surprise!”

Rika looked at her best friends. “Thank you…thank you so much! I owe you both.”

“No problem, sis. We’ve been helping each other for a long time.” Anya and Ceci gave her a warm hug. “Don’t overthink it, just focus on the stage performance. I’ve got the application form for you. Tomorrow is the deadline, and the audition is next week. Be prepared!”

“I will!”

And the stage would be mine!

*****

“It’s true. Look at the performance notice. Rika managed to secure a slot!”

“She’s going to sing a song? But we’ve never heard her sing before. Is she good at it?”

“I don’t know. Let’s go and see…”

“Anya is handing out glow sticks in front of the main hall!”

“She must be showing support for Rika. I wonder if she’s nervous. I know I’d be very nervous on stage.”

“Ceci invited us to gather at the front and wave the glow stick…That’s so cool, like we’re going to a concert!”

“Yeah, only Rika is performing solo. The rest are all performing in groups on stage.”

[What an incredible performance from our sand drawing artist! After a moment of calm and peaceful enjoyment, we’ll need some energy to fuel ourselves and prepare for the band music! Without further ado, let’s welcome our super-idol who will be presenting three songs for us, Miss Rika!]

Rika wasn’t a well-known girl in school, not many people recognized her, but the audience still gave her a round of applause.

Soon they discovered that she was a hidden gem in their school…

In a fluffy and fancy dress, with energetic and youthful dance moves, Rika took the stage as the curtain rose, shining and radiating like a superstar from TV and social media.

Her voice was perfect, her dance moves was magnificent, and the crowd’s excitement soared as she performed her joyful pop songs. Everyone in the main hall began to cheer and scream as if they were attending a pop-star’s concert. Some even called their friends, urging them to come quickly so they wouldn’t miss out the amazing performance.

“RIKA! RIKA! RIKA!”

Three song wouldn’t last long, but she had a minute or two for a brief talk, as requested by the Student Union.

She was panting from the dancing, her heart beating rapidly. But when she looked at the crowd below the stage, all watching her with joy, cheering for her, calling her name, and enthusiastically waving their glow sticks, she know this was her dream come true…

This was her moment.

“Thank you so much for watching my performance. Do you enjoy it?”

“YESSSS!!”

“I never would have thought that I would have the chance to stand on stage and fulfill my childhood dream. Thank you, my friends Ceci and Anya, for all your support! Please give them a round of applause!”

Thunderous applause echoed throughout the hall.

“I think I did a great job warming up the stage,” Rika said with a joyful smile. “Now, let us welcome our next performers, the Cherry Band!”

Rika stepped back to the side while holding the microphone. The spotlight that had been on her began to dim, while another spotlight illuminated the four-member music band quietly preparing behind her. The transitions were smooth, and she managed to make her way to the backstage through the side opening.

Other performers were getting ready backstage. When they saw her arrive, they whistled and silently clapped. Some even approached her and whispered, “Great show! I never knew we had such a talented singer in our school!”

“You should join our band. We need a vocalist like you to form a singing duo!”

“Did you ask someone to record it for you?”

Rika hadn’t thought about that. “No…I forgot to ask.”

“No worries. I’m sure someone must have recorded it and uploaded it to social media. Just ask them for the original clip.”

Rika nodded, “Thanks for the suggestion!”

“Rika!”

She turned around saw Anya and Ceci. “Hi! How was my performance?”

“It was amazing, of course!” Ceci raised her smartphone, “I borrowed my brother’s phone. It has a better camera quality.”

Rika blinked. “You mean, you recorded it?”

“Yup! How could we miss capturing this memorable moment of our rising super-idol?”

“Aww, thanks girls! You’re the best!”

“You bet!”

“Hey, Rika! Can I have a picture with you?” One of the audience members approached the backstage area but stayed outside the door to avoid crowding the already busy backstage. “Your outfit is so cool! And your song was great! Can you sign an autograph for me?”

“Oh, okay, sure!” Rika felt a surge of joy as she approached the audience member, hopping like an excited rabbit. But she remembered to bring Anya along. “And here’s the costume designer. Would you like to have a picture with her too?”

“Really? Let’s take a picture together!”

After greeting a few more members of the audience, Rika finally managed to remove all the costumes and makeups and join her friends for a small celebration party at a fast food restaurant.

“Cheers!”

Three cups of Coke clinked together silently. They expressed their excitement, shared the video, browsed through social media, and managed to find a recording of the show taken by some audience members. The views on the video were not bad for an amateur with only one performance.

“So, what’s your plan now?” Anya asked. “Do you still want to pursue chemistry and become a researcher? Or do you want to go to an artist training center to fulfill your of becoming a super-idol?”

Rika felt torn as well. “I don’t know. I do wish to become a super-idol, but I’m also interested in cosmetic science…”

“Well, why not both?”Ceci suggested. “I believe you could do it.”

“Do idol agencies allow their idols to do that?” Rika doubted whether the idol agencies would agree to such an arrangement.

“It could be a great gimmick. I’m sure some would allow it, but maybe not all.” Ceci reassured her, patting her shoulder. “If no one had ever been a researcher-slash-super-idol before, then you can be the first one! Want to give it a try?”

“No matter what your choice is, we will always be with you. Don’t worry!” Anya smiled and patted her other shoulder as well.

“Thanks, I’ll do my best.” Rika gave her friends a warm hug.

Regardless of what she would decide for her future, she had no regrets now and gained the courage to face any challenges that came her way.

The stage that had once lost to her was now within her reach again, and she would cherish it forever.

- The End -