Chapter 6: Kirimi Miyuki

Two weeks later, it was the eve of the program recording.

Seaside City, Drakon Town, Film and TV Paradise.

The recording of the first episode of "Dazzling Stage" would take place here.

At this time, there were about a hundred journalists and teams from entertainment companies, who had been selected and approved, shooting first-hand materials here.

Long lines of vehicles guarded both sides of the entrance, with the sound of flashing lights and questioning coming from the crowd.

Xu Ling lingered in the back, squeezed in the overcrowded crowd, her short-sleeved shirt under the sunscreen already damp with sweat.

This area belonged to the fan group, and you needed to participate in the official website’s lottery to get a visiting pass for entry.

The place wasn’t big, there was no air conditioning outside, so she sometimes had to hang the camera around her neck, wiping away the beads of sweat on her forehead. She looked towards the entrance of the arena, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

But as soon as she glanced at the person she followed on Twitter, her scattered focus immediately became energetic and lively.

Unlike the supportive sisters and fans who came.

Xu Ling could only be considered a casual audience member of talent shows, not particularly obsessed with idols. In the past, she even thought some fans’ behavior of supporting their idols in extreme weather was silly.

But this time, she could somewhat empathize.

At least... that silly idol who, after his group broke up, risked everything to return to the stage, crossed the ocean, and came to Sea City to compete, was worthy of her efforts to buy a ticket and stood under the scorching sun, waiting earnestly.

——Kirimi Miyuki.

This name, hardly known in Daxia Country, was like a resilient grass swaying in the strong wind, humble yet vibrant, exuding the toughness engraved in the marrow.

Time passed slowly. One after another, the highly anticipated contestants with their own popularity entered the entrance of the competition under the accompaniment of their respective teams and the cameras of reporters and supportive sisters.

The clouds in the sky were thick and gloomy, gradually pressing down as the strong wind blew. The air around started to become humid, transforming the scorching heat from a microwave into a more torturous steam room.

And along with a loud and rumbling summer thunder, the pouring rain fell onto the earth with a splash.

The water droplets were warm at first.

But the momentum quickly grew, and the pouring rain that fell like a waterfall caused the temperature in Dragon Town to sharply drop.

The reporters were soaked to the bone, some hurriedly took cover in their company cars, while others stayed at their posts, displaying great professionalism.

The station sister and fans held up umbrellas to shield themselves from the rain. Their makeup was almost ruined by the raindrops, and they struggled to stand amidst the strong wind, unsure whether to leave.

The staff members were busy maintaining order, secretly thinking how unlucky they were.

Amidst the torrential rain and strong winds, the reporters discussed:

"Did all those famous and popular ones finish filming?"

"Let me think... Yunlan Entertainment’s young miss, the renowned choreographer, and the comeback artist all finished shooting."

"Why do we care so much? There are too many people who passed the audition for this show. Let’s go wait in the car."

Perhaps all of them had this kind of mindset, thus people quickly dispersed.

Just as they said, almost all the contestants with real popularity entered the arena. Even the relatively irrational fan groups didn’t choose to persist in the rain. They basically followed the staff’s arrangements and went to the other side of the venue for temporary shelter.

Xu Ling moved closer to the arena, struggling to hold up an umbrella. Her pants were already damp from splashing water.

The pouring rain became even stronger, along with the increasing wind.

As if the saying "Always remember, there will be reverberations" came true, when she gave up on using her umbrella and felt regretful, a petite figure appeared in the distance, as if emerging from the mist, catching her eye.

Drip, drip.

The wheels of the suitcase made a delicate sound as they rolled through puddles.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😔)

The girl’s arms were slender, revealing fair wrists as she struggled to drag the heavy luggage.

Maybe because it rained so suddenly, she didn’t have time to open an umbrella, got soaked, and looked messy. But she still walked confidently towards the entrance, looked pitiful yet determined like swimming against the current.

Her face was beautiful, pure, and clear. It could be considered a naturally innocent face. Even without expression, it had a touch of melancholy. In the entertainment world which was full of beauties, this kind of memorable face has impressive competitiveness.

But what truly made Xu Ling instantly recognize her was the belief that was mixed in the eyes, expression, temperament, body movements, and various other details.

This strong, persistent, lively belief was like an unextinguishable flame in the storm. It had a sharp contrast with her physical features and created a unique personal charm.

——Kirimi Miyuki.

In that island country blooming with cherry blossoms, Miyuki was another name for March. It symbolized the awakening of nature in spring, with the growth of flowers and plants.

Xu Ling had more than once marveled at the alignment between the person and her name, but only when seeing her in person could Xu Ling truly experience that unique power of influence.

The little girl forgot about the rain and didn’t even care about protecting her camera. She waved and shouted loudly at the figure:

"Miyuki! Mom loves you!"

Maybe it was to avoid a social death, or perhaps it was to make it easier for the little idol to understand. The loudness of the voice easily pierced through the rain, using the standard island language.

You could understand, but at the same time, you couldn’t understand.

The local slang and the fan expressions that seemed to burst out from nowhere in a foreign land confused her. In an instant, she didn’t even realize that her mind was overwhelmed and nearly burned out.

Kirimi Miyuki’s movement of dragging the suitcase faltered, and her footsteps stumbled. The already slippery little leather shoes got dirty as they brushed against a puddle.

The girl thought to herself, "Oh no," but her balance was already lost. The suitcase on her right slid backward, her body leaned forward, and her knees in tights bent. She was about to fall.

Xu Ling, who saw this scene from afar, was so panicked that he wished he could strangle his previous self from a second ago.

Just as the tragedy was about to unfold, Kirimi Miyuki felt her arm supported by a force. Her wet clothes were tightly attached to a warm and soft embrace. The grand sound of rain suddenly became sparse in her ears, and the cold raindrops tapping on her skin faded away.

The girl’s expression was slightly stunned and somewhat confused. Subconsciously, she sniffed and immediately caught a faint and elegant scent.

It contained a chilly feeling as cold as snow, a subtle and enticing sweetness, a freshness like new buds sprouting from dry branches, and a gentleness that seemed to embrace everything, mixed with the scent of shampoo.

How strange! It’s just a smell, but why did it make me think of so many things in an instant?

Kirimi Miyuki felt something was wrong, and then she snapped back to reality and looked at the suitcase on her right that was being carefully propped up. She blinked and realized that she was being held by someone and was holding an umbrella together.

The girl’s face turned pink, and she quickly stood up straight, holding onto her luggage. She hurriedly wanted to say thank you.

But the newcomer interrupted this action.

"It’s slippery when it rains, it’s best not to lose focus while walking."

Words came out from the other person’s lips, a hoarse and dreary yet pleasant female voice. If you listened carefully, you could even detect a hint of a strong vodka-like milk smell mixed in.

Innocent yet mature.

Even though it was a dialect she wasn’t familiar with, it still made her feel like it was an exceptionally pleasant and recognizable voice.

"My name is Kirimi Miyuki. Thank you for your help. I’m sorry for causing you trouble!"

While Kirimi Miyuki awkwardly thanked in her unfamiliar language, she panicked and bowed deeply, much like a penguin.

But this action almost caused the little idol to fall and crash into Chu Yuanqing’s soft and ample curves. Her mind went blank in an instant, overwhelmed with embarrassment. Her neck and cheeks turned pink with blood rush, and she froze like a computer shutdown.

Right at this moment.

Xu Ling witnessed these ups and downs like a roller coaster ride.

Yes, if we were to describe the thoughts and feelings in words.

It would be something like this:

When seeing the little idol fall - sob sob sob, I’m so sorry!

When seeing the little idol being saved - yay! Miyuki didn’t fall!

When seeing Chu Yuanqing’s appearance - Who is this person? So super cute!

When I saw my little idol throw themselves into someone’s arms - the CP radar went crazy. Am I the kind of sidekick who will be remembered for generations to come? (note: should this be changed to “shipper”?)

In this brief half-minute, Xu Ling seemed to enter a state of flow that only top athletes experience. Thoughts in her mind bloomed wildly and without any disturbance, she lifted her camera and continued to press the shutter button, even as the heavy rain showered down, her inspiration increased.