Back Stage II

"A spirit? Like a demon?" Charlotte asked, her eyes wide with fright.

"Not quite," I replied. "More like a lost soul that had been corrupted by negative energy."

The police officer nodded slowly, his skepticism replaced by a thoughtful expression. "That... actually makes some sense," he admitted. "We couldn't find any logical explanation for how he was able to create those flames."

IM chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Sometimes, the most unbelievable explanations are the truth."

The idols exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of awe and fear. Hanna, however, looked at me with a newfound respect. "Xian, you're amazing," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

I blushed, feeling a warm glow spread through me. "It was nothing," I mumbled, trying to downplay my involvement.

The police officer nodded. "Alright, um... we can't find any evidence to contradict Xian's story, and he doesn't seem like the type of kid who would lie."

The officer nodded, a hint of unease in his eyes. "I'll be sure to look into it. In the meantime, if you see anything else unusual, don't hesitate to contact us."

He turned to leave, but Hanna stopped him. "Wait, officer," she said, her voice soft yet determined. "I know this might sound crazy, but... my friends here are special. They have a gift, a way of seeing things that others can't. I trust them completely, and I know they would never do anything to harm anyone."

The officer hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright, Miss Hanna. I'll keep that in mind."

He gave us one last searching look, then turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing in the now-silent hallway.

The room erupted in chatter once more, the idols and crew members buzzing with excitement and speculation. Some expressed their gratitude for our intervention, while others peppered us with questions about our "gifts."

"So, you guys are like... ghost hunters?" Annie asked, her eyes wide with fascination.

"Something like that," IM replied with a cryptic smile.

Shit... we're attracting attention. I hope this doesn't make things worse, I thought, a wave of anxiety washing over me.

This was the exact reason why we didn't want to reveal ourselves. It was cool to be superheroes, but being in the spotlight for our own personal gain? That wouldn't make anything better. I preferred the freedom of being anonymous, able to help others without the burden of fame and recognition.

A pang of guilt twisted in my gut. It was true; we had been reckless, putting ourselves in the spotlight. But how could we have ignored the danger?

Ringgg! My phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts.

I excused myself from the room and looked at the caller ID. It was Dove. I answered the phone.

"Well!" Dove's voice boomed through the speaker.

"Y-Yeah...?"

"You made the spotlight again!?"

"How did you know..." I asked, whispering.

"The news already spread! A phone camera caught the livestream of the gangster, and then there was IM and you!" Dove yelled.

"We were kind of in the middle of it," I admitted sheepishly. "But we didn't start the fight, I swear!"

Dove sighed audibly through the phone. "I know, I saw the whole thing on the news. You two need to be more careful. You can't just go around playing superhero whenever you feel like it."

"But people were in danger!" I protested. "We couldn't just stand there and do nothing."

"I understand, Xian," Dove said, her voice softening. "But you have to think about the consequences. What if you had been caught? What if the Seer organization finds out about you?"

I froze, a wave of fear washing over me. "The guy I fought earlier is with the Seer organization, though he was also half-Unveiled like us," I confessed, my voice trembling slightly.

I gripped the phone tighter, the silence on the other end deafening.

After what felt like an eternity, Dove finally spoke. "Xian," she said, her voice grave, "this is serious. The Seers are dangerous. You need to be more careful."

"I know," I mumbled, feeling a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. "We didn't mean to attract their attention, but we couldn't just let innocent people get hurt."

"I understand," Dove replied, her voice still laced with worry. "But you need to be more careful. You and IM are both targets now."

"We'll be careful, Dove," I promised. "We won't let anything happen to us."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Dove said, her voice barely a whisper.

The call ended, and I put my phone back in my pocket. Just then, IM and Hanna emerged from the dressing room.

"What happened, Xian...?" Hanna asked, concern etched on her face.

"Hanna, I'm sorry, but we have to go," I replied, my voice heavy with regret.

Hanna nodded understandingly. "Yeah... I'm sorry about the mess on stage..."

I smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters."

"But hey... thank you for coming. It was great to finally meet you in person," Hanna said, her voice filled with warmth and gratitude.

I nodded. "Don't worry, there's always tomorrow," I replied, smiling reassuringly.

IM and I waved goodbye and turned to leave, the echoes of applause and cheers fading as we stepped back into the bustling city night.

"Just like that? I thought you were going to talk with her more," IM said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"If we were on a date, it would be different," I replied.

"Why not go on a date then?"

"I've asked her before, but her manager doesn't allow it," I explained with a sigh.

"Heh, so it wouldn't be easy, huh?"

I nodded. "Let's go. We'll just teleport. It would take too long by train."

***

School was back in session, and it was already noon. We had been separated into different classes for our cooking lesson.

"Okay, everyone! Let's cook! It's rare that we get to do this, but since it's your last week before exams, I thought we'd have some fun!" the teacher announced, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

IM and I were separated. I was grouped with Monic and two girls I didn't recognize.

"So, what are we going to cook?" I asked the group.

Monic looked at the ingredients on the table below us. "Hmm, I don't know. Any preferences, guys?"

We both looked at the two girls, who seemed quiet but not overly so. They were just always together.

"Hmm... how about something simple?" the girl with glasses suggested.

"How about some fried rice?" the other girl replied.

Fried rice... too obvious... I thought, trying to come up with a more unique dish.

"Well, I wouldn't mind trying something a little more... adventurous," I said, scanning the ingredients on the table. My eyes landed on a stack of wonton wrappers, a bowl of minced meat, and a variety of spices. "How about we try making some dumplings?"

Monic and the other girls looked at me with a mixture of surprise and intrigue. "Dumplings? Like, Chinese dumplings?" the girl with glasses asked.

"Yeah," I replied, my confidence growing. "It's not that hard, and it's definitely more interesting than fried rice."

We gathered around the table, each taking a portion of the ingredients. I started by demonstrating how to fold the wonton wrappers into neat little triangles, carefully enclosing the seasoned meat filling. The other girls watched intently, their initial apprehension giving way to curiosity.

"Wow, this looks harder than I thought," Monic remarked, her fingers clumsily attempting to mimic my movements.

"Don't worry, it just takes practice," I reassured her. "Here, let me help you."

I guided her hands, showing her the proper technique for folding the dumplings. She quickly caught on, her movements becoming more confident with each attempt. The other girls followed suit, and soon, the table was filled with rows of perfectly shaped dumplings.

As we waited for the dumplings to steam, a comfortable chatter filled the air. We talked about our favorite foods, our culinary experiences, and our hopes for the future. I learned that the two quiet girls were named Ara and Aya, and that they were both aspiring chefs.

When the dumplings were finally ready, we eagerly gathered around the table, chopsticks in hand. The first bite was a revelation. The delicate wonton wrappers, the savory meat filling, the explosion of flavors from the spices... it was a symphony of taste and texture.

"This is amazing!" Monic exclaimed, her eyes wide with delight.

"You're a natural cook, Xian," Ara added, her voice filled with admiration.

Meanwhile, IM was on the other side of the room with the boys, who were clearly struggling in the kitchen.

"What the hell did we make?" Rayhan asked, adjusting his glasses as he stared at their creation.

The teacher walked over to them, a bemused expression on her face. "Are you planning to eat that burnt thing?" she teased.

Marcel put his hand on his head in frustration. "We meant to cook an omelet, but... why is it burnt black? It's supposed to be yellow!"

The teacher chuckled, trying to suppress her laughter. "Well, it looks like you boys need a little more practice in the kitchen. Maybe next time, start with something a bit simpler."

Meanwhile, my group was having a blast. We had moved on to experimenting with different dipping sauces for the dumplings, laughing and chatting as we sampled each other's creations. It was a refreshing change of pace from the usual school routine.

The teacher walked over to our group, her eyes lighting up at the sight of our dumplings. "Oh, dumplings! These look delicious! May I try one?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Just like that, time flew by as it usually does. The day was over, and IM and I were back in the school parking lot.

"Seniorrr!" A high-pitched voice called out from behind us.

I turned around and found Lenna standing there, her eyes filled with a mix of anxiety and hope. "What's up?"

"C-Can you do me a favor?" she asked, fidgeting nervously.

< Chapter 117 > Fin.