The late-afternoon sun dipped over Bangkok, casting long orange streaks across Chulalongkorn's pink buildings. Shelly sat outside the library with her laptop open, half-finished assignments glaring back at her. Notifications buzzed on her phone:
📲 Instagram DM: "Shelly, when's the next vlog?"
📲 YouTube comment: "We want more dorm life videos!!"
📲 Family chat: Nelia sent a meme of Ohm with the caption 'Your brother-in-law.'
Her head throbbed. How was she supposed to be a full-time student, influencer, and sister all at once?
---
That evening at the dorm, Hana looked up from her book and asked softly, "You're going to break if you keep this up."
Aisha, sprawled on her bed with earphones in, nodded. "Facts. Shelly, you don't need to post every day. The fans will still be there."
Shelly frowned. "But what if they aren't? What if I lose everything I've built?"
Hana's gaze was steady. "And what if you lose yourself first?"
The words hit harder than she expected.
---
On Saturday, Shelly and Aisha attended a GMMTV fanmeet. The hall buzzed with energy—screams erupted as Ohm, Pond, and Phuwin walked on stage. Shelly clutched her lightstick so tightly her knuckles turned white. When Ohm waved in their direction, Aisha screamed, "HE SAW YOU!"
Shelly's face flushed crimson. "Stop!" she hissed, laughing despite herself.
But as the event ended and fans swarmed for photos, Shelly noticed something: even idols had schedules, managers, and systems to protect them from burning out. Why was she pushing herself without boundaries?
---
That night, Shelly sat at her desk with her camera on. She recorded a raw, honest vlog:
> "I love creating content. I love school. But lately, I've been struggling to balance everything. And I realized… it's okay to admit that. Balance doesn't mean being perfect. It means finding what matters most and giving yourself grace when you stumble."
She hit upload with trembling hands.
---
By the next morning, the video had gone viral. Comments flooded in:
đź’¬ "Shelly, thank you for being real. I needed this."
đź’¬ "You inspire me. Keep going, sis."
đź’¬ "We'll wait for your content, no matter how long it takes."
Tears pricked Shelly's eyes as she read. For the first time in weeks, she felt light. Her fans didn't just want the influencer version of her. They wanted her.
She whispered to herself, smiling, "Okay. One step at a time."
And as the [Rich and Academic System] quietly updated in her vision—
[Balance Stat Restored +5]—
Shelly knew she was learning the most important lesson of all: to live her life, not just perform it.