Lucas narrowed his eyes, observing the scene more closely. 

It looked like bullying, with one girl—a slightly overweight girl with brown hair and black-framed glasses—clearly the target.

“Lucy?” Lucas called out, stepping forward to intervene and drawing the girl’s attention.

“Lucas?” Lucy looked at him, startled and confused. 

She remembered Lucas from when they’d shared a class in their second year, but this was the first time he’d ever said her name. 

The fact that an idol like Lucas would speak to her left her feeling nervous and out of place.

“Chloe’s been looking for you,” Lucas said smoothly.

Lucy blinked, surprised by this unexpected news. “S-She is?”

Lucas knew that Lucy was a smart student, well-acquainted with Chloe due to their shared reputation as top achievers in their grade. 

Wanting to give Lucy an out from the bullying situation, he couldn’t help but give her a reassuring wink.

Lucy, catching on, nodded nervously and hurried away. “Ah, y-yes, okay,” she muttered, grateful for the excuse to leave.

The other girl called after her nonchalantly, “Lucy, don’t forget our little agreement, alright?”

Lucy didn’t respond, giving her an odd look before disappearing down.

Now, standing in front of Lucas was a girl who reached just up to his shoulder, her arms confidently crossed over her chest. 

She had long, straight blonde hair that framed her small face, with a light fringe across her forehead. 

To Lucas, she looked undeniably cute, even striking.

He recognized her instantly, though they’d never shared a class.

This was Claire, one of the students from a wealthy family, and well-known in the school. 

Her father was a regular benefactor, giving her a certain popularity and influence among her peers.

“Your acting is terrible for an idol,” Claire remarked bluntly.

“You do realize I’m not an actor, right?” Lucas replied, unfazed. “Though, you might consider acting as an antagonist yourself.”

Annoyed at his assumption, Claire quickly clarified, “Hold on. You’ve got it all wrong. Do you actually think I was bullying Lucy?”

“A likely story,” Lucas said coolly. “From where I stood, it sure looked that way.”

“I wasn’t doing anything like that!” Claire protested.

“Fine. Forget it,” Lucas said, turning to leave. He had no intention of getting further tangled up with her. 

He knew of Claire’s reputation—she was known for her pride and sense of entitlement, a consequence of her family’s wealth.

“Lucas!” she called after him.

He glanced over his shoulder. “Are you talking to me?”

“Do you see anyone else here?” Claire replied, crossing her arms.

Lucas sighed, turning back. “Alright, what do you want?”

Claire hesitated, as if choosing her words carefully. “Would you come to my birthday party tomorrow night?”

Lucas blinked, surprised by the sudden invitation. 

They hardly knew each other—if anything, they only knew each other’s names due to their individual popularity. 

So why would Claire invite him to her birthday party out of the blue?

“Are we close?” he asked, genuinely curious. As far as he knew, birthday parties were usually reserved for friends or people within the same circle.

He continued, “Honestly, I’m not interested in going to events like that.”

He turned to leave, feeling his time could be better spent elsewhere. But Claire reached out, gently catching his arm.

“Wait,” she said, her grip soft but persistent.

Lucas glanced down at her hand, feeling the softness of her skin against his. Realizing this, Claire quickly pulled her hand away. “Ah, sorry.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to shake off the awkwardness. “I… wanted to make you an offer,” she said finally.

Curious, Lucas raised an eyebrow, they both sat down on a nearby bench. 

As he spoke with her, he started to see that maybe Claire wasn’t as spoiled or arrogant as people claimed. 

And maybe the scene with Lucy had indeed been a misunderstanding.

“What kind of offer?”

Claire hesitated, then said, “How about I invite you to my party… and pay you to come? Think of it like being a guest star at my birthday.”

Lucas thought it over. This could be a chance for him to earn some extra money and cover his expenses.

“Alright, I’ll take it,” he replied.

“Really?” Claire’s face brightened. “And feel free to bring as many of your friends as you want. Just come, relax, and enjoy the food and entertainment.”

Lucas looked at her, slightly confused. “So… you’re not hiring me to perform a song or anything?”

Claire shook her head. “Nope. That wasn’t my plan.”

Lucas frowned, puzzled.

Understanding his reaction, Claire quickly clarified, “Oh, no, I didn’t mean I’m not interested in having you perform because your voice isn’t good.”

“What?!”

She shook her head, flustered. “No, I mean—please don’t take it the wrong way. I can explain.”

But Lucas chuckled, amused by her nervousness. “Hahaha.”

“She’s actually pretty cute,” he thought to himself.

Seeing his reaction, Claire looked down, feeling embarrassed and worried she’d insulted him. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lucas reassured her. “I’m used to people making those kinds of comments, so don’t feel bad.”

Claire hesitated, torn about whether to share the real reason behind her invitation, but she didn’t want Lucas to misunderstand.

“The truth is… I’m doing this because of my stepmother,” she admitted softly.

Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise, sensing a deeper story.

“My mother passed away when I was five,” Claire continued, her voice quiet. “Since then, it’s just been my father and my nanny who raised me.”

Her father was often away for work, traveling out of town, so Claire spent most of her time with her nanny. 

When she was ten, he returned home with a woman named Charlotte, who brought along her young son, Bryan, who was five at the time.

Her father had introduced Charlotte as someone who would bring warmth and companionship into Claire’s life, someone who could be a mother figure. 

At first, Claire was thrilled, hopeful that she’d no longer feel so alone when her father was away.

But as time went on, Claire’s expectations were crushed. 

While she longed for a loving mother, Charlotte never truly embraced her. 

Her stepmother’s kindness only appeared when her father was around; the rest of the time, Charlotte was distant, even cold.

Whenever Claire received something from her father, Charlotte’s jealousy would flare. 

She began to subtly belittle Claire, making her feel unwelcome, though only when her father was absent. 

Claire had tried to tell her father about Charlotte’s behavior, but he refused to believe her, swayed by Charlotte’s skillful manipulation. 

Every time, Charlotte twisted the story, leaving Claire looking unreasonable or overly sensitive.

And so, Claire was left feeling isolated, trapped in a home that seemed to offer her comfort but often delivered only hidden cruelty.

Charlotte had insisted on throwing a grand party for Claire’s eighteenth birthday, framing it as the milestone that marked her transition from adolescence to adulthood. 

But Claire had her doubts; she knew that Charlotte’s motivation was self-serving. 

Knowing she had few genuine friends, Claire decided to invite anyone she could think of—just to avoid feeling overshadowed by Charlotte’s schemes.

As she shared her story, Lucas listened in stunned silence.

“Ah, why did I tell you all of that?” Claire muttered, suddenly self-conscious. “I hate looking foolish.”

Lucas offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. We’re not exactly close, are we? So we can just pretend this conversation never happened.”

Claire chuckled softly. “Are you always this unfazed? You’re… different from what people say.”

Lucas looked at her, curious.

“I mean, everyone says you’re insecure and withdrawn. But from what I’ve seen, it’s the opposite.”

“I don’t care much about people’s gossip,” Lucas replied simply.

Claire stood up. “In that case, I’ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow night.”

She was left with a surprisingly positive impression of Lucas after their conversation. 

As she walked away, she glanced back, giving him a small smile before disappearing down the path.