The moment Alara stepped through the portal and back into the sanctuary of her bedroom, she collapsed onto her bed, clutching her chest. Her heart was hammering so loudly she feared the whole house could hear it. "He spoke to me! He asked if we had met!" she whispered into her pillow, a radiant, almost manic smile spreading across her face.
She couldn't stay still. She began to dance around the small room, jumping and spinning until she was breathless. The transition from a girl watching a screen to a woman whose eyes had captivated her idol felt like a fever dream. She rushed to her mirror, pulling off her mask and staring at the eyes Lucian had searched so intently. For the first time, she felt truly seen.
The rest of the night was a blur of adrenaline. Sleep was impossible. By dawn, Alara had transformed her room into a makeshift art studio. She decided that for their next encounter, she wouldn't just bring her presence; she would bring her soul.
She pulled out her finest art supplies—heavy watercolor paper, gold leaf, and vibrant inks. She began crafting an intricate Pop-up Memory Book, a masterpiece of paper engineering that told the story of his journey from his debut to the star he had become. Every time a page opened, a 3D scene of a concert stage or a starry sky would rise, delicate and perfect.
Next, she began a large painting of Lucian. She didn't paint him as a K-pop idol under harsh stage lights; she painted him as a celestial prince standing amidst the constellations, his expression soft and human. She poured every ounce of her six-year devotion into each brushstroke.
"I will show you, Lucian," she murmured, adding a final golden highlight to his eyes. "I will show you what you mean to me."
Alara became so absorbed in her work that she forgot to eat or drink. Her entire existence was now poured into these gifts. She was building a bridge made of paper and ink, waiting for the next fan meeting where she could finally place her heart into his hands.