The Author's POV

"Thank you all for coming, and we hope you enjoyed the show!"

Doing her signature pose, Sophia waved at the crowd causing them to cheer even more loudly.

Unfortunately for them, it was already the end of the show, and therefore, giving them one last goodbye, Sophia quickly headed back to the changing rooms with her group.

Upon entering the changing rooms, Sophia slumped down on her chair and let out a long and tired breath.

"Haaaa, I'm tired."

"Tell me about."

Slumping down on the chair next to her was Penelope, her other group member.

Taking a wet towel, she covered her eyes with it and leaned her head back.

"Ugh, my legs are hurting like crazy..."

"Same."

Sophia replied in agreement.

"...but, I'm used to it by now "

Raising the towel on her face and uncovering her eyes, Penelope skeptically looked at her.

"Stop pretending, I know that you're not tired at all. You are one of the star students at the Lock, you don't need to be humble."

Sophia merely smiled in response to Penelope's comment. She then added.

"Just because I'm a student of the Lock doesn't mean that I'm immune to tiredness."

"Yeah, yeah."

Penelope completely dismissed her comment. Sophia shook her head when she saw this.

In a way, what Penelope was correct.

Thanks to her training at the Lock that she was now able to keep her stamina in check during her performances.

She also wasn't wrong when she said that she was one of the star students at the Lock as she was in fact ranked in the top fifty in her year.

An achievement that was quite considerable.

"Say, I've always been meaning to ask..."

Putting the towel down, Penelope suddenly sat up straight and looked at Sophia.

A frown appeared on her delicate face.

"Is money still a problem? I know that the Lock costs a lot of money, but if you spend your time with us, won't you fall behind the others in your year?"

"It's fine."

Bending down and taking a similar wet towel, Sophia covered her eyes.

Feeling the cold towel on her face, Sophia smiled in pleasure.

"Money is not really a problem..."

This was a bit of a difficult topic for her.

The main reason why she was an idol in the first place was because of her family's past situation.

Although they lived comfortably, they weren't particularly rich.

At least not to the point of being able to pay the Lock's yearly tuition fee which was incredibly expensive.

Despite making 7 million U per year herself, she was still unable to pay the whole tuition fee.

Had it not been for her father, she probably wouldn't have been able to attend the Lock.

Thinking about her father, Sophia felt a mixture of different emotions.

She couldn't quite explain what happened, but one day while she was still a trainee for her idol group, she came home to find that her tuition for the Lock had already been paid in advance by him.

Before she could confront him about the situation, she found out that he had gone on a long trip.

A trip that lasted a whole two years.

During that time, Sophia panicked a lot as she thought that in order to pay for her tuition fees her father had decided to undertake some extremely dangerous job, and only recently did she finally receive a call from him.

Though relieved, she was still very angry at him.

How could he just leave her like that? Without any explanations and making her worried sick for the past two years?

Unknowingly, Sophia's teeth clenched and she secretly swore to herself.

'He said that he's coming to visit me today, when he comes I'll let him have a piece of me.'

"Hey Sophia, what did you think about the girl you brought on stage today? Wasn't she just adorable?"

It was then that she suddenly heard Penelope's excited voice.

Raising the towel in her head, she found Penelope's face a couple of inches away from her.

Sophia quickly moved her back.

"Wow, move back a little."

like that, Sophia, here have a

her phone, Penelope showed Sophia an image of the girl that they

photo, Penelope squealed in

on, you can't tell

photo, Sophia nodded

"...Sure."

The girl was indeed

was then that the other group members huddled up together and stared at the image of the little girl

the girl from today's

of all the lights,

how cute. Just look

cheerful atmosphere prevaded

why don't you look excited? ...You perhaps

of nowhere, one of the group members

the girl, Sophia bluntly

"As if..."

is, the ice queen

she lowered

no one you are interested in, Sophia? With your looks and popularity, I don't doubt the fact that you will be able to

"No thank you."

rejected. She

have time for things

want a boyfriend, however, she just didn't have the

idol activities, she had to focus

had any free time

...and.

Well.

of them are as good as

muttered inside of her mind with a longing look

that come to her mind when she thought about love,

a brighter and more important stage

the moment she had set her sight on him, Sophia found all of the boys near her dull and

that he's not someone I can

not someone that she could casually talk

achievements

on herself and maybe hope that one

***

"We're almost there, Leopold."

in the back, I urged him to

were currently headed backstage to meet Leopold's daughter, Sophia Ray, and

I could use this as an excuse

'How convenient.' I thought.

there was

you

me a

who looked extremely nervous at the prospect of meeting his

This was understandable though.

not met her for almost two years, I'd

Click—! Click—!

then I suddenly heard a familiar

"Stop that!"

I found Leopold hunched up, trying

direction, I snatched the lighter and cigarette from his mouth and pointed at Nola who was currently in Amanda's

here, why in the world

boss, you know that they aren't

at me with

his pleas, I put the

no,

"Haaiizzzz..."

to drag Leopold all the way toward the changing room

coming here, the manager had given Leopold a special card that enabled him private access, and thus,

I don't

the door, Leopold suddenly started

going to let that

shirt, I proceeded to knock on

To Tok—!

I

'This guy...'

at him, I couldn't help but

I seen Leopold so nervous. Even when he was fighting against a horde of demons, and duergars he didn't

a weird sight if I had

Clank—!

only after a couple of seconds had passed that the door

the side of the door, was one of the members

her name if I

Wasn't really sure.

How may I help

"Hello, there."

forward and flashing a brilliant smile, I patted

wants to meet

those words left my

"Ah! You're Sophia's father!"

the changing room became visible for all

we instantly found multiple eyes staring in our direction. They were

"Father?"

a familiar voice sounded from the other

stiffened even more as

dear, it's been

indeed been a

icily said as she looked at Leopold