novelraw Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
"Ms. Shijo Ai! Could you say one line as Afi-chan? You can even scold me—I don't mind!"
"Hello! Of course, no problem~"
Inside the sign-hall next to the main stage, a huge poster displayed a collage of anime characters. Every one of them was a loli or loli-adjacent. In the center sat a high-resolution photo and short bio of the guest herself:
Shijo Ai—renowned Sakura-country voice actress.
Signature roles: Baemon, Chronicles of the Crimson Dragon.
The poster showed a petite woman with a brown bob and a red hair-clip—the real Shijo Ai.
Hashimoto clutched the item he'd brought for her signature and eyed the shrinking queue with rising panic. He couldn't remember when he'd first become her fan. The obsession had started with Mei-chan from After Hours: Loli Encounter, a doujin title whose near-perfect voice acting had stunned him. Only later did he learn it had been an early, starving-artist gig for Shijo Ai, released under a secret alias. From that day on, he'd devoured every interview and vlog she posted.
Shijo Ai almost never did overseas signings. This was her first trip to Linmen—his one and only chance to meet her in person.
He drew a deep breath. Even at mild concentrations, otaku-social-anxiety had his heart racing, but he forced his face into something approaching calm.
"Wait—where's my copy of Sensei Charcoal's new book?!"
"Huh? I watched you drop it in your bag!"
"Right? I saw you put it in. How did it just vanish?!"
Startled protests rose from the next line over; Hashimoto glanced aside and saw two boys ransacking their backpacks in disbelief.
Lost something? he thought vaguely.
"Sir, you're next!"
The staffer's call jolted him. The gap ahead had cleared; everyone before him had finished. A few meters away, Ms. Shijo Ai held a marker and smiled, beckoning.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Hashimoto swallowed. His heart hammered like a war drum. His legs seemed to disconnect from his brain—classic stage fright. Back when Yan Huan had talked him into running for student-council, he'd psyched himself up for a thirty-student classroom pitch. One step inside, his mind had blanked from oxygen loss. Same sensation now.
He shuffled to the table and sat. A yellow line held the next fans several meters back, ensuring one-on-one privacy—merciful design for the socially terrified.
"Hi there~"
"H-hello, Ms. Shijo."
Up close, her smile was dazzling, her voice even better—familiar yet impossible to place. Child-bright but never cloying. Just the first syllable tightened his throat further.
Shijo Ai took the lead. "You're a Linmen student?"
"Y-yes, Ms. Shijo!"
She twirled the marker, hiding a giggle behind her hand. "Relax—you paid to see me, remember? Breathe~"
"...Okay."
"So, which character do you like? Want me to say something in her voice? Any special spot for the autograph? Photo's fine too~"
At that, the frantic pounding in his chest eased a notch. An angelic loli materialized in his mind, calling cheerfully, "Landlord-kun, be brave~"
Mei-chan herself.
With the character's imagined support, Hashimoto inhaled, thrust the poster forward, and poured out the words he'd rehearsed for years.
"I absolutely love Mei-chan—your Mei-chan! Ever since middle school, she's been my favorite character! That's how I found you, Ms. Shijo!"
The cover—doujin content and all—was blush-inducing. Shijo Ai's lips parted; her smile froze for half a second, then turned radiant again.
"I was a total nobody back then. Without Mei-chan's encouragement I'd never have made it this far. My grades, running for student-council with someone amazing... I'm so grateful. Thank you for every night Mei-chan kept me company!"
He kept his eyes down; looking up would short-circuit his brain.
At last—he'd said it!
Shijo Ai glanced from him to the poster's suggestive pose, then flashed a flawless service-industry smile and clicked her marker.
"So, signature here, right?"
"Yes, please."
She signed with a flourish. Hashimoto peeked, swallowed again, and ventured, "Um—Ms. Shijo, could you scold me as Mei-chan? I love her tsun-tsun voice. Please!"
Shijo Ai capped the marker, smile unwavering. A faint vein throbbed beneath her bangs.
"Sure~"
"Th-thank you so—"
"You really are a worthless shut-in, aren't you? Timid, cowardly, can't even talk to people, so you vent your pathetic urges through filthy games."
Zero-frame delivery.
Hashimoto stared as the smiling actress delivered venom in the same light tone.
"Wait—Ms. Shi—"
She continued, airy and relentless. "You can't do anything, so you cling to a vile fantasy. You hug it tight, jerk off to it—imagining some perfect girl who'll love you unconditionally. Pathetic. Oh, and let's not forget: it's not even a normal girl you want, is it? It's a loli.
"You're a straight-up pervert."
Hashimoto's mouth hung open; his mind went white.
Shijo Ai's smile returned brighter than ever. She folded the signed poster inward and handed it to the half-paralyzed boy.
"There you go. All satisfied?"
"Eh... eh?"
Color drained from Hashimoto's face. He accepted the poster like an automaton.
Shijo Ai had already reset to adorable mode, waving to the next person.
"Next, please~"
"Everyone welcome the famous dancer, Kristina!"
Beyond the red line, the crowd thickened. VIP-seat ticket-holders filled the front rows. Lights swirled and music kicked in as a white girl in an elf costume stepped onstage.
Even the student-council group—just back from the doujin booths—looked over.
"Hehe, I'm so cute~" Yua Lina hugged the chibi illustration Miyake Huhu had drawn, admiring her own adorable self standing between two handsome figures.
Miyake Huhu's talent was no joke—even a quick sketch could pinpoint every defining feature.
Sakuramiya Hitomi, at her side, caught the giggles and couldn't help glancing down at the drawing made just for her.
It was based on that earlier photo with Yan Huan, but unlike the original, Huhu had erased the polite gap between them.
In the sketch, Hitomi clung to Yan Huan's arm while looking at the camera; Yan Huan, however, wasn't facing the lens—he was gazing at Hitomi instead.
The very picture of a lovey-dovey couple.
So perfect.
Stealing another peek, Hitomi carefully slid the drawing into her bag.
But the president had been gone for ages.
She glanced toward the stage where a house-dance idol was finishing her set, then at her silent Plane chat. Her brows drew together.
"Sakuramiya, aren't the president and Hashimoto back yet?"
Only when Yua Lina asked did Hitomi realize—right, Hashimoto was missing too.
She'd been so fixated on the president she'd forgotten him.
"I'll ping them in the group."
Hitomi smiled faintly, opened her phone, and @'d both Yan Huan and Hashimoto:
"You two still not coming back?"
"Prez, Hashimoto—we're by the restroom pillars on the outer concourse."
Hashimoto never replied. Normally he was the first to answer.
Strange.
No word from the president either?
They hadn't gone to the same place, had they?
Hitomi's worry mounted. She lifted her parasol, about to tell Yua Lina she'd go search—only to find the aisle behind her packed solid.
The main stage show was starting soon, drawing the big-name guests. Easy to arrive, impossible to leave.
"Um, excuse me—"
Hitomi started to speak, but Yua Lina threw her arms around Hitomi and Ashley in a panic.
"Wah! Sakuramiya! So many people! Let's stick together—don't get separated!!"
Goodbye, Yua Lina.
After today, you no longer exist in the student council~
Hitomi's face went dark, yet with the crowd swelling she knew forcing her way out was futile.
President!!
Where on earth are you?
Weren't you just going to see Bai Yi?
She's about to perform—why aren't you back yet?!!
Hitomi turned toward the stage. The dancer had finished, exchanged a few words with the MC, and exited.
The host glanced at his cue card and grinned.
"Ah, our next guest is absolutely top-tier. Voted 'Most Youthful Idol' on the show 'Youth,' and a regular in Linmen fashion magazines.
"Such a young star, so passionate about pop culture—what will she bring us today?"
He lowered the teleprompter, faced the packed hall, and announced,
"Please welcome Linmen's hottest new-generation idol—Miss Bai Yi!!"
In Yua Lina's grip, Hitomi froze, her half-hearted struggle forgotten, eyes locked on the spotlight pooling at center stage.
Earlier, backstage.
Several makeup artists finished touching up Bai Yi and stepped back, satisfied with the breathtaking girl before them.
"All set."
"Thank you."
Heavy foundation masked Bai Yi's pallor; blush transformed her bloodless cheeks into a private agony. Her eyes were unfocused, legs trembling beneath her skirt.
A high-pitched whine stabbed into her ears like needles, drilling straight to her brain.
Tick... tock...
Amid the backstage bustle, the steady clock rhythm felt like salvation, tugging her head downward as if to curl into herself.
You can do it, Bai Yi. You can.
Her eyes fluttered, yet all she saw was Yan Huan's blank face after hearing her new song.
Was it awful?
Utterly unlistenable?
He must be disappointed, too polite to say so, awkwardly changing the subject.
Days after running away and returning home, her wounds had only festered. Her mother still denied, berated, arranged her life.
But she'd swallowed every insult.
Rehearsals, obedient schedules—all fueled by that single night when Yan Huan's admiration became her only source of energy.
She couldn't let down her only fan.
Even suffocating at home, she'd held her breath, finished the new song, and given it to him.
She just wanted to hear his praise again—his acknowledgment that could let her endure her mother's denial, endure doing something she never truly wanted.
But now... she couldn't hold on any longer.
Tick... tock...
Gasping, she stared at the floor until her manager Ji Lin approached.
"Yi-yi, phone tucked away? You're up soon."
"All good."
Bai Yi forced herself upright. Only when the skirt's weight reminded her did she realize she'd forgotten to pocket her phone and earbuds.
Ji Lin had already moved off; a stagehand stepped in.
"Bai Yi, standby. The dancer finishes in five; wait behind the curtain, hit your cue when the MC calls."
"Okay."
She walked forward, lifted the curtain separating backstage from the dim passage to the stage.
Ahead, music and chatter crashed like surf, threatening to drown her.
She reached the stairs and waited for the host's signal.
Ding-ding~
Suddenly her phone buzzed—she'd forgotten silent mode!
Fumbling, she pulled it out to mute it.
Might as well keep it on her, tucked in her skirt.
But the message was from Yan Huan:
"Bai Yi, do you have wireless earbuds? If not, there's a pair on the side table—mine, you can use them."
She blinked, spotted the earbud case on the small table beside the steps. Beneath it, an ethereal black cat tail vanished into the shadows.
Heart racing, she typed back:
"I have earbuds. Why would I need them? I'm about to go on."
"You looked tense. Blocking the crowd noise might help."
She'd performed countless times—stage fright was child's play.
Yet staring at the earbuds, feeling her heart hammer, she bit her lip.
She stared at her phone and typed again,
"How did you even get the earbuds back here? This area is strictly off-limits."
"Don't worry about that. Just put on the pair that's paired to your phone—it'll calm your nerves."
A moment later, a cat GIF popped up, waving its paw and shouting, "Go for it!"
Bai Yi pressed her lips together, stared at the sticker, then started to type a reply—
...but nothing came out.
With a helpless little smile she finally picked up Yan Huan's earbuds.
A quick glance told her they were some no-name Bluetooth set that cost less than a hundred yuan.
Honestly, if she wanted noise-cancelling comfort, her own pair would work better.
Still...
Thank you for the thought, President Yan.
She pressed a hand to her chest and slipped her own tiny, almost invisible earbud into her left ear.
"Bluetooth connected~"
The surrounding clamour instantly dropped by half.
Bai Yi cupped her heart and finally exhaled.
If only she could wear the other one too... or make the whole world this quiet forever.
Wishful thinking. She gave a soft laugh and started to type "Thanks,"
—but the MC's voice rang out from the stage,
"Next up, please welcome Linmen's hottest new idol!!"
"Miss Bai Yi!!"
The curtain behind her swept open; a staffer called,
"Miss Bai Yi, you're on!"
"Okay."
She stuffed her phone into her pocket, straightened her posture, and climbed the stairs.
Bzzzt!!
Spotlights slammed into her eyes, forcing her to blink while she stepped out of the darkness.
When she opened them again, a sea of faces stretched below.
The smiling host stepped aside so the audience could see her clearly.
"Ha-ha."
Hundreds of eyes snapped to her—especially those in the front row.
Jiang Xiong, in a crisp suit, waved cheerfully from his seat.
Beside him sat her mother, face powdered and eyes sharp.
Zuo Jiangqin.
That gaze swept over Bai Yi like a cold blade, lingering, dissecting, then curling into a frown.
A soft click of the tongue—"tsk."
Bai Yi's pulse, steadied moments ago by Yan Huan's small kindness, lurched again; every heartbeat stabbed.
Why?
Why do you always look at me like that?
I've followed every rule you set.
But if one single thing isn't perfect, that's the face you give me.
You humiliated me in front of Yan Huan...
And now you're still dissatisfied.
Is it the outfit?
Because I didn't change into the one you picked, you're angry?
But...
Aren't I your daughter?
Why do you keep treating me this way?
Why?
Pinned under that stare, she had no answers.
She forced her eyes away from her mother's furrowed brow, only to find the entire hall suddenly filled with identical "Zuo Jiangqins."
Bai Yi's pupils shrank. The crowd blurred into a single, scowling visage, and a shrill ringing exploded in her skull.
Bzzzt!!
Mothers in suits, mothers in cosplay, mothers in dresses—
All of them frowned, eyes condemning, ready to shove her into the earth.
"Hah..."
She stood rooted, mind blank.
"Miss Bai Yi, hello, and welcome to the annual Linmen Game Expo."
The hostess offered a microphone, leaning in.
To Bai Yi, the woman's face had become her mother's, pressing a dagger to her throat.
"Mom..."
The whisper never reached the mic, but the host heard.
Experienced enough to know her own mic was live, she stayed silent, only giving Bai Yi a puzzled look.
The more Bai Yi froze, the more obvious the pause became to the audience—
and the darker her real mother's expression grew below.
In Bai Yi's trembling eyes, every "mother" on stage now grinned like a gaping abyss.
No.
Don't—
Don't come closer.
Someone, anyone—
Tick-tock... tick-tock...
As if answering her plea, the phantom pocket watch in her pocket began to spin.
The hour hand whirred.
Click-click-click!
Around her, reality juddered like a broken tape; the dagger slowed, inch by inch.
Yes...
Stay back. Stop judging me.
Please, Mom.
I'm begging you.
Ding-ding-ding!!
Just as her mind blanked again, a brass-voice bell tolled inside her left ear.
She blinked—the Bluetooth earbud.
Bai Yi regained a sliver of clarity and heard the voice in her ear,
"Incoming Plane call—tap the earbud to answer."
"Caller: Yan Huan."
"Accept?"