The cafeteria.
Gina Gable and Holly Wyatt were eating in a corner.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the cafeteria entrance, punctuated by sharp, excited screams.
Holly, being unable to hear, was naturally oblivious, her attention focused solely on the fragrant meal before her.
Gina had no interest in the spectacle, but she couldn't help but overhear the discussions around her.
"Hurry, hurry! I can't squeeze through!"
"Seriously, what's the rush? Is there a celebrity or something?"
"Yeah! It is a celebrity! The actress who played the second female lead in Moon Order transferred to our school this semester. I heard she landed the main role in an idol drama, and they're even filming on campus!"
"Moon Order?! The second female lead? The junior disciple? The fairy in white? You mean, that... that... Lynn..."
"Lynn Fletcher!"
"Yes, yes! Lynn Fletcher! You're saying she transferred to our school?"
"Yeah! I saw someone post on their feed that she's in the cafeteria right now! Hurry! Let's go see. We might be able to get an autograph, or even a photo with her. I heard she's super nice and says yes to everyone who asks for a picture!!"
"Oh my god! Then what are we waiting for?! I absolutely loved her character! She was just gorgeous! So beautiful it makes you want to protect her! Lynn, wait for me!!"
...
Someone rushed by too quickly and bumped into Holly and Gina's table.
The rice bowl in front of Holly nearly tipped over.
She looked up in alarm, her eyes scanning her surroundings, and saw the two people who had nearly fallen over.
Gina slammed one hand on the edge of the table. She glared coldly at the person who had bumped into them and snapped, "Are you blind?! You couldn't see this giant table? Did you have to run right into it? Can't you see we're eating?"
The person who had hit the table, not yet standing up straight, turned back with a hostile expression. But upon meeting the intimidating presence of the nearly six-foot-tall Gina, their anger instantly deflated. They stammered an apology, then grabbed their companion and scurried away.
Gina clicked her tongue in annoyance, then sat back down. Seeing Holly's eyes sparkling with adoration, she couldn't help but crack a smile.
She crossed her legs, folded her arms, and looked down at Holly with a slight lift of her chin. "Eat."
Holly nodded, holding her bowl with both hands and pushing it further onto the table for safety.
At that moment, she also noticed the chaos in the cafeteria. Most people were crowded near the entrance, but instead of leaving, they were all just standing there.
She shoveled a bite of rice and some vegetables into her mouth, then picked up her phone. "What's going on? Was there an accident or something? Why is everyone crowded over there?"
Gina glanced at the cafeteria entrance, a flicker of disdain in her eyes. "Some celebrity transferred to our school. They're all flocking to see her."
Holly looked over curiously, but the crowd was too dense, completely surrounding whatever was at its center. She couldn't see a thing.
She had just swallowed the food in her mouth when she hurriedly stuffed in another bite, her cheeks puffing out like a little hamster's.
Gina stared at her, her fingertips itching.
'So cute!!'
Holly pushed her phone in front of Gina. Meeting her friend's "predatory" gaze, she expertly craned her neck and leaned closer.
A smile lit up Gina's face. She reached out and squished Holly's puffed-up cheeks, feeling the motion of her chewing against her palm.
She glanced at the phone screen. "What celebrity is it? Guy or girl?"
Gina pouted. "A girl. But I don't think she's anything special."
Holly nodded and took her phone back.
She wasn't interested in such things, but Gina loved to talk about them. After all, Gina was a broadcasting major and would inevitably cross paths with celebrities and artists.
Sometimes she would listen to Gina share gossip from the entertainment industry—stories so wild they sounded fake, more like fiction than a novel.
Seeing Gina's expression, she knew her friend was about to start spilling the tea. She quickly stuffed a few more vegetables into her mouth and stared at Gina with wide eyes, ready to listen.
Gina launched into a non-stop rant: "It's the second female lead from that super popular historical fantasy drama, Moon Order. The one who plays the junior disciple... Lynn Fletcher. I saw a bit of an interview with her once, and she just seemed like an airhead. No real insight into her character or the script. Of course, it could have been the editing, but I just got a bad vibe from her. I don't like her aura. And I feel like her fame these past two years is just because someone's backing her. I'd never even heard of her before this. Her character, the second female lead, is supposed to be kind and innocent, basically just a pretty face who's completely devoted to the main couple. Anyone could have played that role better than her..."
Gina felt the chewing motion against her palm stop. She looked at Holly in confusion. "What's wrong? You like her? Don't you barely watch TV shows?"
Holly blinked slowly, then hesitantly took her phone. "Is it really her?"
"Should be. I just heard someone posted on their feed that they got a photo with her." Gina looked at her friend strangely. "Do you really like her?"
Holly shook her head lightly, sat up straight, and slowly typed, "She transferred to our school?"
"Yeah, she started this semester."
"Lynn Fletcher is in the cafeteria right now?"
"Yep. And she's about to start filming an idol drama on campus called Our Little Luck. She's the female lead. I honestly don't know how her crappy acting is supposed to carry a lead role. Just thinking about how I have to go with my professor to the investment press conference for that new show in a few days is giving me a headache. I really don't want to interview her!! Our vibes just don't match! They really, really don't!"
Holly fell silent.
She lowered her gaze and quietly swallowed the rest of the food in her mouth.
Gina keenly sensed that something was wrong with Holly.
She stood up, moved to sit beside Holly, and poked her arm with a slender finger.
Holly glanced sideways at her.
"What's up? You don't seem like you like that celebrity. Do you hate her?" Gina asked, puzzled. "No, that can't be right. With your personality, is there anyone you could actually hate?"
Holly's lips moved slightly. She held her phone out to Gina. "I don't exactly hate her."
Gina stared at the screen without speaking, waiting for Holly to explain.
Holly pulled her phone back and slowly typed, "She's my sister. The daughter my biological parents adopted."
Gina stared at the words on the phone, her brow furrowing tightly.
'So Lynn Fletcher was the sister, the one two months younger than Holly?'
'The sister her biological parents always favored?'
Although the words on the cold screen were just a statement of fact, Gina somehow detected a hint of loss and melancholy.
Gina pressed her lips together and looked toward the cafeteria entrance.
The boisterous crowd was gradually moving deeper into the cafeteria, though they were still some distance away.
Gina got up briskly, grabbed both of their bags, and pulled Holly out through the back door.
*
At the center of the crowd stood Lynn Fletcher, dressed in a knee-length, light blue dress. Her smooth, black hair cascaded down her back, obscuring her slender waist.
Her features were inoffensive, exuding a gentle and docile air, yet they were hard to forget—especially her pair of amber-colored eyes, which seemed to glow under the lights.
Lynn Fletcher pulled the brim of her hat down, subtly closing her eyes to roll them in annoyance. She maintained a polite but distant smile on her face, clutching the hat and mask she had just taken off. As she took the photos handed to her by the crowd, she signed them perfunctorily.