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[POV - Rito]
Ding-dong!
The day had started peacefully — Mikan asking me to do some shopping, sun shining outside, life following its normal course. I should have been suspicious. "Normal" days in my life are like unicorns: beautiful in theory, but they don't really exist.
Tap-tap-tap.
On my way back, I spotted Zastin talking to a woman... alien? She was tiny, only reaching his waist height. Damn, what could be happening now?
— Rito-sama! — Zastin waved when he saw me. — I brought someone who really wanted to meet you!
The little alien creature looked at me with those bright eyes, kind of... feverish? Like a fangirl at a K-pop concert. A shiver ran down my spine.
Whoosh!
Before I could process it properly, the small alien shot off like a bullet toward my house.
— Whoa! — I exclaimed, running after her.
Slam!
When we arrived, Mikan was opening the door, and the alien... passed between her legs like a cat escaping from rain. Mikan turned red as a ripe tomato.
— W-what was that?! — my little sister stammered, clearly embarrassed.
— Sorry, Mikan — I murmured, entering the house. — Seems like we have... a visitor.
In the living room, I found the small alien practically clinging to Lala like a tick on a dog. Lala seemed used to it, as if it were an everyday thing.
— It seems you know her, Lala-san? — asked Mikan, still a bit lost.
— Yes, of course! — Lala smiled radiantly. — She's the president of my fan club! Her name is Stella.
Record scratch.
— President of your fan club? — I repeated, blinking a few times. I mean, I knew Lala was popular, but having an intergalactic fan club? That was another level.
— Welcome back, Rito! — Lala jumped from her chair, eyes shining like stars. — Let's have breakfast together!
— Lala-sama, me too! — Stella interrupted, practically vibrating with excitement.
Mikan let out a small giggle, clearly enjoying all that craziness. Asia, who was preparing coffee, just shook her head with an understanding smile.
— I didn't expect Lala-san to be so popular as to have a fan club in space! — commented Mikan, impressed.
— Of course. She has countless fans in this immense galaxy — Stella responded with pride, chest puffed out like a peacock.
— Amazing! — Mikan seemed genuinely interested.
Grumble-grumble.
I heard Stella grumbling quietly. From the whispers I caught, she wasn't very happy with my presence. I ignored it. I already had enough problems to worry about a jealous alien.
— What exactly does the president of Lala-san's fan club social group do? — asked Mikan, tilting her head.
— There's a lot to do! — Stella responded enthusiastically. — Create magazines for Lala-sama's social group... for crazy fans.
— Crazy fans? — Mikan repeated, curious.
— Yes — Stella responded with disgust, as if she had swallowed a lemon. You could see the gears turning in her head, probably thinking about how to defeat the "competition."
That's when she dropped the bomb:
— How about we return to space, Lala?
— I'm not going back to space — Lala declared firmly, crossing her arms. — I like Earth, and on top of that, I'm going to marry Rito.
Crack.
Stella turned to stone instantly. Literally. As if someone had clicked "pause" on her life.
I couldn't hold back my laughter.
— She... turned to stone? — asked Mikan, mouth agape.
— She belongs to a race that's capable of turning to stone — Lala explained casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Asia, always the diplomat, tried not to laugh. — Perhaps we should let her... recompose herself?
Shrug.
We shrugged and went on with our lives, ignoring the alien statue in the middle of the room.
[Later...]
Click-click.
I was in the living room watching Magical Kyouko — a show that had become my escape valve from this crazy world — when I heard a noise. Stella had returned to normal and...
Whoosh!
She came flying in my direction like an uncontrolled missile.
I casually extended my hand and stopped her in the air, as if catching a tennis ball. She stayed there, floating, her little arms moving like a beetle on its back.
— Grrr! — she growled like an angry chihuahua. — Among 547.2 billion fans of Lala-sama, why did YOU have to be the chosen one?!
It seemed more like she wanted to be with Lala than anything else. Alien jealousy... new to me.
Step-step.
Lala entered the room, and Stella immediately stopped struggling, as if she had been tamed in a snap of fingers.
— Rito, today is Sunday! — Lala tilted her head with that smile that melted my heart. — Want to go out and play?
She paused, noticing Stella floating.
— Huh, why do you have her in the air?
— She was trying to attack me — I explained, keeping my hand extended. — But she had a rude awakening learning I wasn't that weak. I didn't plan to hurt her, but I was going to leave her floating for the next hour. To see if she calms down.
When I spoke seriously like that, I saw Lala's eyes shine in a different way. She jumped and hugged me.
— There's something here in the corner of your mouth — she murmured with that mischievous little smile.
— Let me clean it for you.
And she kissed me right there.
Crack.
Stella turned to stone again.
Asia, who had just entered with a tea tray, sighed. — I'll get a cloth to cover her.
[After the kiss...]
When Stella recovered from her second petrification, she seemed more resigned. As if she had finally accepted reality.
— Now you'll have to take responsibility — she said, pointing an accusing little finger at me.
I laughed. — I already talked to Lala's father. The engagement is practically certain.
— It was by video call — Lala added cheerfully. — Papa said he's coming to visit Earth soon!
Stella seemed to process the information, and suddenly her eyes shone with a crazy idea.
— I have a plan! — she exclaimed, jumping like popcorn. — I'm going to launch Lala-sama as an idol! I'm an intergalactic businesswoman!
— Idol? — Asia repeated, curious.
— But I need help to replace Lala as the current top idol. Someone with potential...
I thought about Run, but then I remembered Ren. Better not.
Sniff-sniff.
Stella began sniffing the air like a hunting dog.
— Fresh blood... — she murmured, eyes narrowing.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang, and Mikan went to answer it.
— Rito-kun? — Haruna's familiar voice echoed through the house. — Sorry to bother...
When she appeared in the living room, she was red as a bell pepper, holding a lunch box.
— Hello, Rito-kun — she said quietly, barely able to look at me. — I... I made too much bento and thought... maybe you guys would want...
— Hi, Haruna-chan — I replied, feeling that familiar warmth rise in my chest. — How have you been?
— Well... better now — she murmured, finally looking into my eyes.
Thump-thump.
My heart raced. Damn, why did she have this effect on me? It was as if the rest of the world simply... disappeared.
— The bento looks delicious — I commented, approaching to get a better look.
When our fingers touched as she handed me the lunch box, it was like an electric shock. Haruna quickly pulled her hand back, her cheeks catching fire.
— I-I have to go! — she stammered, already turning to leave.
— Wait! — I called, gently holding her arm. — Why don't you stay a while? We were talking about... interesting things.
Stella observed everything in silence, like a detective analyzing a crime scene. I saw when it clicked. Her teeth ground audibly.
— Another one in love with Rito — she murmured to herself, her voice loaded with disbelief. — How does this boy manage to collect them like this?
— Haruna-chan, do you know Stella? — I asked, trying to break the tension. — She's... well, an intergalactic businesswoman.
— I-intergalactic? — Haruna repeated, blinking confused.
— It's a long story — Asia intervened diplomatically, appearing with more tea. — How about you both sit down?
Haruna hesitated, but ended up accepting. When she sat next to me on the sofa, she kept a respectful distance, but you could feel she wanted to be closer.
— Actually — I began, looking at Stella — how about talking to her about this idol idea? Haruna has a beautiful voice.
Haruna's cheeks caught fire again. — R-Rito-kun!
Stella, who until then seemed discouraged, suddenly got excited as if she had found gold. Her eyes shone dangerously.
— Interesting... very interesting — she murmured, circling Haruna like a vulture. — Yes, I can work with this.
I brought Haruna with me into the house, Stella following us like a determined puppy, already making plans in her head.
[Back at home...]
— Everyone! — Stella announced theatrically. — I have a proposal! How about we form an idol group?
Mikan got excited immediately. — I wanted to be a world idol!
Stella laughed, imagining what that duo would be like. I felt my cheeks heat up when I used a little bit of Presence to read her thoughts. Damn, what a problematic imagination.
— I'm in! — Lala jumped from her chair.
— Sounds fun — Asia agreed timidly.
I looked at Haruna, who was too red to say anything.
— Haruna-chan, want to participate too?
She just nodded, still unable to look at me.
Ring-ring!
Stella's phone rang.
— Hello? — she answered.
— STELLA! — a voice shouted from the other end of the line. — The Space Tax Department discovered you were embezzling funds!
Crack.
She turned to stone instantly.
BEEP!
A button was activated remotely, and Stella transformed into a rocket, flying out the window.
— STELLA! — Lala shouted, running to the window.
— Will she be okay? — asked Asia, worried.
— Probably — I murmured. — Aliens are resilient.
— Can we still become space singers? — Lala asked, eyes shining.
I nodded yes. Why not?
What I didn't know was that Stella had recorded enough material to turn my life into an intergalactic reality show.
Sigh.
Just another normal Monday in Yuuki Rito's life.