Celebrity Observers

"Hurry up, Ria! The show's about to start!"

In a large room decorated in various shades of pink and white, a teenage girl was shouting to someone outside. On the 60-inch TV screen opposite her was a one-minute countdown to a livestream channel called "Beloved Imposter".

"Jackie, it's just a livestream!" an irritated voice sounded in reply. "Can't we watch the show when it releases?"

A petite blonde, Ria, appeared in the doorway, arms laden with a mountain of snacks that nearly obscured her line of sight and prevented her friend from seeing her resigned expression.

Jackie bounded over to relief her and pouted. "But it's more realistic this way! Post-production cuts out so many details."

"For good reason," Ria muttered under her breath.

"Anyway, where's Rose? I thought she'd come with you."

Ria rolled her eyes. "She said, and I quote: 'I'm not watching a bunch of people lie to win money when my time is better spent making more money'."

Crunch. Crunch.

"Even if she's an investor of said show?"

"Yep."

Cruuunch...

"I'll make her watch at least one show with me one day," Jackie swore around a mouthful of chips.

"You'd have better luck persuading Josh," Ria snorted.

"Don't bring up my brother," Jackie groaned. "I swear, he's married to that new drone of his. 'Bumblebee' this and 'Bumblebee' that. What's so fascinating about robotics, anyway?"

Ria gave a noncommittal shrug. Meanwhile, the countdown on the TV reached zero, and the image of a fancy seating area filled screen.

Jackie instantly revived to her enthusiastic self, shaking Ria's arm while bobbing up and down excitedly. "Ooh, it's starting! It's starting!"

"Shh!"

A heavyset, bullnecked man wearing an atrocious aloha shirt, beige capri shorts, and indoor sandals appeared on the screen.

"Good day, everyone! Welcome to season one of 'Beloved Imposter', where love and lies coexist and the goal is to become a millionaire!" he boomed. "I'm Lawrence Sullivan, the director, but everyone calls me Larry. Before we start, I'd like to present four very special guests who will be observing our beloved contestants over the course of five weeks."

The camera panned to his left, revealing a middle-aged woman dressed in a fashionable white jumpsuit and stillettos. Her asymmetrical bob grazed her shoulders with a sharpness that matched her glinting eyes, and her elegance was palpable through her regal posture. Sitting cross-legged on a red wingback chair, the woman gave off the aura of a queen upon her throne despite not wearing a crown. When she spoke, her silky voice radiated confidence and charisma that lured listeners in.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I'm May Jennings, though most of you know me as M.J."

"M.J. is so cool!" Jackie squealed. "I knew she'd host this show too!"

"Isn't she that controversially popular emcee?" Ria asked. "I didn't expect her to appear so soon after that scandal."

"You know her?"

"I do read entertainment news, you know."

"Then you must know M.J. cleared things up ages ago like the boss she is."

As the focus shifted to the celebrity next to M.J., so did Jackie's attention. "Oh! Oh! I know this guy! Prince of Hearts! I love his songs!"

"Hey, I'm Brandon Hearst. Call me Brady."

A man with unruly chocolate curls, heart-melting dimples, and a seductive voice introduced himself with a smirk, eliciting a round of fangirling in the comments.

[TAKE MY HEART. TAKE IT♡♡♡♡♡]

[Brady!!! When's the new album dropping????]

[The Prince of Hearts on a dating show? I can die happy]

[Why isn't he a contestant .·°՞(≧□≦)՞°·.]

[Istg his voice is deeper than the ocean]

[He can take me to the ocean any time ;)]

[I hope he sings on BI!!]

The camera panned once again. This time, Ria gasped.

The woman beside Brandon Hearst was nothing short of stunning—flaming red curls draped over one shoulder, a voloptuous figure, and cat-like eyes framed by long lashes which bore into the camera. When her sensual lips parted, she automatically commanded everyone's full attention.

"Hi everyone, I'm Scarlett Grayson. Pleasure to be here," she purred.

[SCARLETTTTTT]

[NO THE PLEASURE IS OURS]

[AAAAAAAHHHHH]

[SCARLETT ILY!!!!!!]

[Omg how does she look so pretty]

[Day 172 of asking for her haircare routine]

[If she's here, does that mean...]

[There is one more celeb...]

[Please let it be Levi]

[Scarlevi Scarlevi Scarlevi]

"Hmm. Our viewers online seem to think our last observer is Levi Haans," M.J. looked at Scarlett teasingly. "What does his girlfriend think of this?"

Scarlett chuckled. "Wait and see."

[Is it really Levi???]

[Doesn't look like it tho]

[Levi isn't technically a celeb]

[But he's more famous than most actors]

[That's true]

Under the audiences' bated breath, the last observer was revealed: A handsome man in his thirties with golden hair that glistened under the spotlight. His jawline had to be chiseled by celestial sculpters, and his famously dreamy hazel eyes were the fantasies of half the women in the country, the excluded half being unborn.

"Hello, I'm Michael Anderson."

"AAAAAHHH MICHAEL I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Jackie shot up from her seat, spilling her snacks everywhere.

"Oh my god, Jackie calm down!" Ria slapped her friend while shaking assorted crumbs off herself.

"Aaaaaaah I physically can't!" Jackie screamed, grabbing her phone to convey her excitement in the chat room.

[AAAAAHHH MICHAEL I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!]

[HE'S BAAAACK]

[HE'S FINALLY BACCCKKK]

[HOW DID THEY HIRE MICHAEL ANDERSON??!!]

[Is his hiatus over?]

[Comeback?]

[MICHAEL MY HUSBAND]

[No, he's MY husband]

[Michael I'm ur biggest fan!!]

[He's not all that. Dominic Hugh is better]

CRUUUUNCH...

While scooting farther away, Ria saw Jackie grinding her teeth and warring with her keypad.

"'He's not all that'? 'Dominic Hughs is better'?" she muttered murderously. "How dare you..."

Suddenly, a storm of comments flooded the screen, significantly ruining Ria's viewership experience. On the screen which she could barely see, M.J. was grinning. "Wow! What an enthusiastic audience we've got today! Without further ado, let us begin!

"The rules of 'Beloved Imposter' are simple: There is a couple and a pair of exes hidden among 12 contestants. For five weeks, contestants will participate in themed assignments in various venues with the assistance of special effect cards and our in-show currency, Cupid Coins. The points they earn during assignments contribute to their overall rankings.

"At the end of every week, eliminations will be held based on overall rankings or audience votes until two finalists are determined. Out of the two, whoever guesses the couples' and exes' identities correctly will win one million dollars!"

Unable to stand the obstructive bulletags cluttering the screen, Ria snatched the remote. There had to be a way to turn it off!

"Will our lucky couple and commendable exes be able to hide under scrutiny and prevail through the power of deception? Or will the singles tear their feeble disguise to shreds?"

Where was the premium mode...

"One thing's for sure—with hearts and money on the line, things are bound to heat up. Are you ready to fall for our beloved imposters?"

Yes—as long as she turned off the annoying bulletags first!

Ria frantically pressed the remote, her finger speed nearly exceeding that of a seething keyboard warrior's—not that it mattered since Jackie was the main culprit of half the comments flooding the screen.

'Premium = no bulletags.'

'Premium = no bulletags.'

'Premium = no bulletags.'

[The user does not have premium]

"WHY DON'T YOU HAVE PREMIUM?!" Ria roared.

"BECAUSE MY BROTHER IS A PAIN IN MY BUTT!" Jackie replied without stopping her virtual retaliation.

"HOW IS THAT RELATED?"

"BECAUSE HE STOLE MY PREMIUM ACCOUNT AND CHANGED THE PASSWORD!"

"WHY ARE WE YELLING?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"Ugh..." Ria collapsed into the fluffy, diabetes inducing pink throw pillows and groaned.

'Rose, Josh... I completely understand why you'd rather work than accompany Jackie. I need therapy... And a spa day...'