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."

Sophia, here have

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

photo,

can't tell

at the photo, Sophia nodded her

"...Sure."

The girl was

up together and

the girl from today's

get to see because of all the lights, but she's quite the cute

Just look at her

atmosphere prevaded over the

don't you look excited? ...You perhaps thinking of

of the group members suddenly

at the girl, Sophia

"As if..."

is, the ice queen is

she lowered her phone. Her

Sophia? With your looks and popularity, I don't doubt

"No thank you."

rejected. She

don't have time for

boyfriend, however,

her idol activities, she had to focus

time for herself, let alone

...and.

Well.

are as good

with

one guy that come to her mind when she thought

someone that shone on a brighter and more important stage than

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

he's not someone I can

not someone that she

status, their achievements were worlds

thing she could do was focus on herself and

***

"We're almost there, Leopold."

the back, I urged him to

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

pleasant surprise since I could use this as an excuse

'How convenient.' I thought.

was one slight

you so

give me a

looked extremely nervous at the prospect

This was understandable though.

for almost two years, I'd also be nervous if I were in

Click—! Click—!

then I suddenly heard a

"Stop that!"

Leopold hunched up, trying

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

girl over here, why in the world

you know that they aren't

at me

put the lighter

means no,

"Haaiizzzz..."

sigh, I managed to drag Leopold all the way toward the changing

multiple times by security, however, prior to coming here, the manager had given Leopold a special card that enabled him private access, and

second thought, I don't want

moment we arrived at the door,

I'm going to let that

him by the back of his shirt,

To Tok—!

instantly stiffened, and I

'This guy...'

I couldn't help

he was fighting against a horde of demons,

weird sight if

Clank—!

of seconds had passed that the

of the door, was one of the members

her name if I didn't remember

Wasn't really sure.

How may I

"Hello, there."

a brilliant

over here wants to meet his

words left my mouth, Evylin's

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

of the changing room became

multiple eyes staring in our direction. They

"Father?"

a familiar voice sounded from the other side

stiffened even more as he forced

dear, it's been a

indeed been

as she looked at Leopold