A Celebrity

“Thank you for the drink!”

Now we’re at the cafeteria.
How does she know about my secret?
I’ve never told anyone about Oni Sing except for Chiba.
...Wait. Does she know Chiba?

No. That’s impossible.
I can’t piece together how this happened.

“Takahashi-kun, why do you look so tired?” Mika asks with a tilted head, playing innocent.

“Whose fault do you think that is?” I shoot back, exhausted.

“Don’t worry! I haven’t told anyone yet,” she says, way too cheerfully.
“Now, let’s get back to my problem. Can you become my fake boyfriend?”

Why is she so persistent?
This again?

“Before that, you owe me an answer. How do you know about my channel? Did someone tell you?”

“Hmm~ That’s a secret,” she replies, lips curled into a mischievous smile.

Damn it.

“Fine,” I sigh. “I’ll do it. Only for today, okay?”

“It depends.”

“...Wait, what do you mean depends? You said—”

“I can’t say for sure yet,” she interrupts, looking deadly serious for a moment.
“But I promise—after it’s over, I’ll do anything you ask in return.”

I had hoped for peace in my life.
Clearly, that was a fantasy.

“Okay. So what do I need to do?”

She pulls a small notebook from her bag.
It looks like a diary. She flips it open to a page that’s been underlined, highlighted, and circled with furious energy.

“Revenge plan?!” I read the title out loud, half in shock, half in disbelief.

“Exactly!” she says, eyes gleaming.
“He humiliated me. Dumped me on stage. In front of everyone. For another girl.”
“Now, he’s going to pay. I’m going to make him crawl back and beg for forgiveness. And then… humiliate him.”

She laughs. A villainous, final-boss-style laugh.

“This is insane,” I mutter. “I’m wasting my time here. Find someone else.”

“Oni Sing,” she says softly, like pulling the trigger.

“Please,” I beg. “Let me go. I’ll do anything else.”

“Sorry, but you’re perfect. You're talented, easy to manipulate, and no one suspects a thing. You’re the perfect pawn.”
She snaps a photo of the page with her phone.
“Here. Take a picture. Or give me your number—I’ll text you the plan.”

I feel trapped. Completely cornered.
No matter what I do, there’s no way out.

Her ex is a rising star—a popular vocalist whose band just had a major debut last month.
Chiba told me Mika herself is a rising model, featured in beauty magazines and fashion blogs.
Apparently, their breakup happened during one of his performances. He just… announced it on stage.
Brutal.

Later that night...

“It’s simple, but I like it,” Mika says, eyeing my outfit approvingly.
Just a black hoodie, jeans, and sneakers.

“So where are we even going?” I ask. “You barely explained anything in your texts. Just told me to meet you here at 8 p.m.”

“We’re heading to a nightclub. It’s his regular hangout spot with his friends,” she says, her voice calm and calculated.
“Don’t worry. You just need to follow my lead.”

“That’s not comforting.”

“Oh, and from now on, call me Mika. First-name basis. It’ll make us look more convincing.”

“O-okay… Mika.”
It still feels awkward.

“Don’t be so stiff!” she says, laughing. “Relax! Smile more. You’re supposed to look in love with me, remember?”

Yeah, right.
I’m blackmailed, exhausted, and completely out of my depth.
But sure. I’ll smile.

“Now, let’s go inside!”
She grabs my arm like we’re really a couple and pulls me toward the entrance.