Hesitation

(Sun Yao)

"What's wrong, Yao'er?"

My mother turned over, facing me, and her hand under the blanket gripped my wrist.

I replied, "I'm facing Miluno tomorrow... I don't think I have a chance of winning."

Why?

If you ask why...

"Miluno... the mystery she's cultivated over the years has led to her explosive surge in popularity today... coupled with her overwhelming aloofness, she truly possesses a magical power that makes people fall at her feet."

However, I think the former is the key point.

Miss Miluno isn't lacking in fame, but rather in exposure, which leads to a lack of presence.

How could a magical girl who always hovers at the bottom of the power rankings not be famous?

However, she always maintains a high speed during battle, making it difficult for drones to capture her image. Naturally, no one would recognize her on the street. This is not just my wild analysis, but the reason that Miluno's fans agree on.

So, do you want to admit defeat?

The mother asked with a smile.

"No, Miluno wants me to give it my all in my singing... Perhaps, she wants me to beat her?"

"Performing on the same stage as your beloved idol should be every fan's dream, so why are you looking so gloomy? In response, you should show your best side..."

The blanket stirred halfway through the mother's words of comfort.

Something crawled under our blankets from the bed and then wriggled and tried to climb up.

"Awoo!"

A head with long, golden hair popped out from in front of my mother and me.

"Goldie, didn't I tell you to sleep in my room?"

Because my room has shrunk by a third, becoming smaller than the guest room at home, it was assigned to Golden —after all, now that she can transform into human form, I can't let her continue to stay in her doghouse on the balcony, can I?

As for me, I still find it more comfortable to sleep in Yezi's room.

But I'm sleeping with my mother tonight. She noticed I looked preoccupied and pulled me over...

"I think Goldie is definitely trying to cheer you on."

That's what my mother said.

If this Doggy could press and rub its paws against my chest, I might be able to believe it a little.

"Goldie, turn Past."

"No, pressing on Yuehan's chest doesn't feel right, woof!"

The Doggy's appearance is that of a human, but it lacks the moral and ethical standards of a human being.

There were some things that shouldn't have been said, but she didn't understand or comprehend them.

"Hmph, it seems this kid needs a good talking to."

The mother's voice carried a hidden resentment as she embraced the Golden from behind, their bodies intertwining, and then...

It has become invisible.

All I could feel was the blanket moving, the rustling of fabric against each other, and the Doggy's increasingly heavy breathing...

Ring ring--

My phone rang on the bedside table.

"It's Yezi?!"

I quickly got out of bed and ran to the living room.

"Sorry Ceruno, I'm calling so late. I hope I didn't disturb your sleep."

"No, it's nothing, I haven't slept yet... I'm glad you called me now, I just needed someone to talk to."

I'm really happy.

I sat with my legs together on the edge of the living room balcony, unsure of where to place my feet, just unconsciously and helplessly rubbing them together.

"I watched today's performance, it was wonderful. You've finally found your own style, which I think is a good thing... But relying on being cute isn't a long-term solution. You still need to improve yourself, and I'm not just talking about your vocals; you also need to work on building your self-confidence."

Am I lacking confidence today?

I clearly felt I performed quite well.

"Confidence is relative. Among these sixteen idols today, who do you think is the most confident?"

"Miluno? Oh, no, I mean Miss Halley."

Actually, everyone was quite confident. Even Zara and Miss Thunderous Resonance, who were eliminated, believed they could win on stage... People who lack confidence don't deserve to stand there.

"Hmm, so why do you think she's so confident?"

"Because of her immense talent, she was already a top idol, and her understanding of the 'idol' industry is far deeper than that of other magical girls who entered the profession later in life."

For Ms. Halley, winning this beginner-level Idol Festival must be as easy as playing house with kids, right?

"That's right, strength is the foundation of confidence. Confidence without the support of strength is just a castle in the air... But Ceruno, you do have strength!"

"Me... me?"

"Of course, from Hawaii until now, you've consistently followed the training plan arranged by Sirius. Think about all the hardships you've endured; doesn't that make you proud to stand tall on stage?"

"Yezi... there's something you don't know yet."

Hugging myself on the windowsill with my legs bent, I looked down at the city, which was just as brightly lit at night.

"My opponent tomorrow is Miluno..."

"So what? You might admire her as a magical girl, but that doesn't mean she's better than you as an idol..."

At this point, Yezi suddenly changed the subject and asked, "By the way, have you seen the online discussions about the quarterfinals?"

It was quite late when I got home from the stadium. I just took a quick shower and my mother dragged me to bed. I really didn't have time to pay attention to the news.

"No, what's wrong?"

"Your popularity has skyrocketed, and you've even been called 'Sirius's disciple.' At this rate, surpassing Miluno is only a matter of time, which shows that everyone has high expectations for you."

"Really?"

"Just search it online yourself, I'm hanging up now."

"Wait! Yezi!"

I still have some things to clarify.

"I heard from Miss Sirius that you're coming back tomorrow?"

"Well..."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by the reply, "... Yes, I'll be back tomorrow, but you absolutely must win."

"Ah?"

What does Yezi's return have to do with my winning against Miluno?

But before I could ask anything, the other end of the phone had already hung up.

Then, I opened my phone's browser, entered the keyword "Supernova Idol Festival," and searched.

The discussion was indeed quite heated.

That guy, Liu, went to the downtown area after the competition to hold a live interaction, allowing him to talk to fans up close (but not to sever ties). This approachable virtual idol successfully fueled his popularity and made his fame even greater.

Ms. Halley is also quietly regrouping her Past fan base, creating an image of a triumphant return online.

So what about my discussion?

Try adding your name after "Supernova Idol Festival" in the search bar.

"... Um?"

[Exclusive Scoop! "Bubble Witch" and "Moonlit Gale," a magical girl idol yuri romance?! (with photos)]

What is this?

The only substantial content in the entire news article consisted of a few photos taken at the backstage entrance, showing Miluno hugging me and offering encouragement.

The rest of the content is all baseless speculation and embellishment, attempting to portray Miluno and me as having an ambiguous relationship... Palm Tree.

Clearly, this is a smear campaign by unscrupulous media.