An Acquaintance?! A Lover?! NO! It’s the Childhood Friend!

Cain ran around the town for over an hour. It was the easiest task so far. By the time he finished, it was already past six in the morning.

[CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed Task No. 2: Run 2 kilometers around town!]

[+1 Idol Point]

"The point really shows up next to my stats here," Cain said as he slowed to a jog. Not only did he complete the task, but he also familiarized himself with his stat screen.

"But just one Idol Point? It's not even enough to raise a single stat," Cain sighed. He realized he had a long way to go before becoming an idol, which meant more time dealing with that little devil and hiding his true identity.

"Well, this sucks," Cain muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, Fifi popped up beside him, startling Cain. He quickly checked left and right to see if anyone saw her. The last thing he wanted was for people to find out about the tiny devil; it would raise too many questions and complicate his life. all the more

"Relax," Fifi said. "No one can see me except you, and no one can see your screen except the two of us. Unless I really want to show myself to humans, which I can."

"Please don't. You'll give them a heart attack."

"Oh, my~ You've suddenly turned compassionate. That's good."

"What I mean is, you'll give them a heart attack when you start talking with that foul mouth of yours."

Fifi flicked Cain's head, and he was shocked at how painful it was.

"Ouch! What the hell?! Why does that hurt so much?" Cain growled, rubbing his forehead. It hurt more than the fist of his enemies. 

"Fufufufu. I'm a goddess, you know. I can inflict pain with just my gaze if I wanted to."

"Goddess, my ass."

"What was that?"

"N-nothing."

Nearby, two girls walking their dogs pointed at Cain.

"That guy is talking to himself."

"Don't mind him. He's dangerous. Let's go."

They quickly scurried away as if Cain were a criminal.

Fifi noticed their reaction and couldn't help but comment, "We really need to work on your appearance as soon as possible."

"What's wrong with my appearance?" Cain questioned, not really caring for the answer as he walked ahead, hands inside his pockets. 

Fifi glanced at Cain with a mix of disdain and amusement. "Where do I even start? Your hair is a mess — it's like you're trying to imitate a rat's nest. Your appearance screams 'I don't care,' and don't get me started on the smell; it's like a combination of sweat and bad decisions.

"Your posture is slouched like you're perpetually defeated. You talk like you're always about to start a fight, and your walk — it's like you're stumbling through life, looking for trouble. Honestly, if you don't step up your game, you're going to make a bigger impression on the world as a walking drug addict than a rising idol."

"Forget I asked," Cain grumbled.

He headed to his go-to spot for breakfast, Freshly Baked, and greeted the girl at the counter.

"Hey, Mimi. The usual," he said, settling into his regular table.

"Oh, Cain," Mimi greeted, then wrinkled her nose as she caught a whiff. "You smell like booze, puke, and sweat. Gross!"

"Good morning to you too," Cain replied dryly, taking his seat in the far corner near the window.

Mimi sighed. "Lucky for you, there aren't any other customers right now. Otherwise, I'd have to ask you to leave."

"You say that every time, and still here I am," Cain said lazily, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed out the window.

Mimi shook her head. "You're up early. Did you get into another fight?"

Cain couldn't hold back his irritation. "Mind your business and just get me the damn food." Did she really think he got up early just to look for a fight?

Fifi flicked Cain's forehead, making him flinch and clutch his head. He hold back the painful scream at the edge of his throat. 

"Huh? What's going on?" Mimi asked, noticing Cain's discomfort as he rubbed his forehead.

"Nothing," Cain muttered, trying to downplay the situation.

Mimi launched into her usual lecture. "You should quit that gangster group already. It's nothing but trouble. You're young; go to college, get a degree, and find a safer, more stable job. You can't be a gangster forever, Cain."

Cain barely registered her words, letting them roll off him as usual.

"Who's that?" Fifi asked, pointing at Mimi. "She's nagging you like she's close to you, but she doesn't seem like your mom. She's too young."

"No kidding, genius," Cain muttered, then quickly added before Fifi could flick him again, "She's a childhood friend."

"Oh~," Fifi said, her eyes sparkling with interest. "So you've had someone this beautiful by your side all along?"

"Beautiful?" Cain raised an eyebrow, glancing at Mimi.

She was still lecturing him as she brewed a cup of coffee, her long black hair pulled into a high ponytail, wearing her usual black shirt, tight jeans, and a white apron. Her face was small, with big eyes and pouty lips, and she had a decent figure to boot.

Many of his gang members admired Mimi, but to Cain, she was just a whiny kid with a snot on her nose. He couldn't see her passed that image of their childhood. 

"Oh? Is that romance I see in your eyes?" Fifi teased.

"Absolutely not," Cain shot back with a harsh tone.

Fifi nudged him playfully. "Fufufu~. Though romance is forbidden for idols since you belong to the fans, sometimes that one special person can inspire you to reach the top."

"Like I said, it's not like that," Cain insisted. "Mimi's studying law and will soon graduate as a lawyer."

"Is that so? She's both beautiful and smart. Maybe if you get together, your life will finally have direction, and you'll seriously start actng like an idol."

Cain took a deep breath and looked out the window, clearly distressed. "Mimi should end up with someone like her."

Fifi paused, staring at Cain. "You . . ."

"Here," a voice suddenly cut in as Mimi placed a plate of food on Cain's table.

"Ah, thanks." Cain's mood brightened at the sight of the food; he'd been starving since he woke up. All that booze had digested his food and he was starved. 

Just as he was about to dig in, Mimi's open palm appeared in his view.

Cain looked up to find her staring at him with judgmental eyes. "Your payment?"

". . . Just put it on my tab," Cain said with a serious tone.

Mimi's frustration boiled over. "What tab? You don't even have any money deposited here. When will you pay for this meal and all the others before it?"

Cain's patience wore thin. "I'll pay you back, alright? I didn't bring any money today."

"Muh! That's your excuse every time." She huffed and walked back to the counter. "Seriously, our business might go bankrupt because of you."

"You're exaggerating," Cain said, chewing on his food. "Besides, I don't ask you for protection money, so we're even."

A spoon flew through the air and hit Cain straight on the forehead. "What do you mean, 'protection money'? Stop playing with this gangster thing and start thinking seriously about your life; it'll only bring you more trouble than it's worth," Mimi lecture.

Cain glared at Mimi but didn't respond. Meanwhile, Fifi was intrigued.

"I'm surprised," Fifi remarked.

"What now?" Cain asked, irritated.

"So you eat healthy food too," Fifi observed, noting the bacon, eggs, salmon, and rice on Cain's plate.

"What do you think I eat?"

"I don't know—chips, beer, and the flesh of your defeated foes," Fifi answered with a serious tone.

Cain was taken aback. "You . . . What do you think I am?"

"An uncultured, dirty, ugly flesh eating human being."

"Shut up." Cain stuffed his mouth with food, trying to drown out his frustration.

He couldn't believe he had to deal with these two annoying women so early in the morning, and possibly for the rest of his life. 

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|| A/N ||

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