Gangster to Idol

Cain sat at his usual spot in the far corner of Freshly Baked, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filling the air.

His breakfast — crispy bacon, eggs sunny-side-up, and buttered toast — was spread out before him, but he barely touched it, absentmindedly stirring his coffee.

The world outside felt distant, and the soft hum of morning chatter did little to shake him out of his thoughts.

He'd been in a slump ever since the second episode of RRR, and though he was in no mood to watch the first episode, it seemed the universe had other plans.

The bell above the door jingled, snapping him out of his daze.

In walked Sheryl, a bundle of energy as always, followed by her group of girlfriends.

Cain didn't pay much attention at first, but they caught his eye when Sheryl — loud and animated — plopped down in the seat right in front of the restaurant's wide TV screen.

"Mimi, come on!" Sheryl called out, waving her arms excitedly. "The first episode of RRR is about to air!"

Mimi, who had been clearing a few tables, glanced over. She gave a small sigh as she wiped her hands on her apron.

The restaurant was still quiet since it was early in the morning, with only a few customers browsing the bread section.

Cain had his usual "childhood privilege card," a sort of unwritten rule that allowed him to walk in at odd hours and order off-menu without anyone batting an eye.

Sheryl and her friends were already glued to the screen, vibrating with excitement. They didn't even notice Cain at the corner.

"I can't believe we're finally watching it," one of the girls said, her voice high-pitched with anticipation.

"I should've watched it last night, but I promised Mimi we'd watch it together," Sheryl told them.

Mimi rolled her eyes as she brought out a tray of food — fish and chips, some fresh bread, and a plate of pastries.

"Make sure you pay for all of this, alright?" she said, her voice tinged with mock seriousness.

Sheryl grinned cheekily. "Ehehehe. I thought it was free?"

Mimi crossed her arms and gave her a stern look. "Nothing is free around here, not even friendship."

Cain observed quietly from the corner, chewing on a piece of toast. The group's energy was infectious, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The show had already aired yesterday, and though it was available to watch on RRR website, he'd rather not relive the cringe moments.

He still hadn't fully recovered from the second episode — too much self-awareness made it hard to enjoy watching yourself.

"Oh my god, it's starting!" one of the girls squealed, jolting him from his thoughts.

Sheryl's eyes were glued to the screen, and as the camera panned to reveal the first contestants, the group erupted.

"Dylan's face is the first thing we see!" one girl gushed. "He's so handsome!"

"I know, right? What level of handsomeness even is that?" another chimed in.

"Look at his jawline! His small face, those big blue eyes," one of the girls swooned, practically melting. "And that long, shoulder-length blonde hair — so dreamy."

Mimi shook her head, unimpressed. "He looks like a woman," she muttered under her breath.

Sheryl cackled, slapping Mimi lightly on the arm. "That's called an androgynous look, my dear. It means he's beautiful enough to be both a man and a woman."

"I don't get it," Mimi replied, shaking her head in genuine confusion.

"Dylan's nice and all," Sheryl continued, "but he's like a god, untouchable. He's on another level."

The other girls nodded fervently. "Yeah, he's like art — meant to be admired from a distance. Mortals like us shouldn't even think about it."

"Agreed," another chimed in. "Someone like EJ or Lexter would be more . . . approachable."

Sheryl leaned forward suddenly. "Oh, look, it's C.C.! He's up next!"

"C.C.?" one of the other girls asked, confused.

Sheryl nodded eagerly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "The one I told you about! Remember when those gangsters tried to harass us? He's the one who stepped in and saved us. He was so cool back then."

The girls' eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, that C.C.!" they exclaimed, turning their attention back to the screen.

Cain was still watching from the corner, and winced. He didn't want to be reminded of that day — or the show.

He was trying his best to remain unnoticed, but it was impossible not to overhear their conversation, especially as Mimi's voice cut through the chatter.

Her eyes had gone wide as she stared at the screen, and the usually stoic Mimi seemed taken aback by what she saw.

"He is . . . handsome," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she corrected herself. "I mean .

. . he was really helpful back then. He really knows how to fight."

One of the girls swooned. "He's kind of hot, don't you think?"

Mimi frowned, her face scrunching up in irritation. "I thought you all had your own biases. You should stick to them."

"Ara~? Do I sense a little jealousy in your voice?" one of the girls teased, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

Mimi's eyebrows knit together in frustration. "What? Of course not. I'm not into idols, okay?" she said defensively, standing up abruptly. "I'm going to get some jam."

Sheryl's playful expression morphed into concern. "Eh? Mimi, don't tell me you've developed a crush on C.C., too? Are you going to be my rival now?"

Mimi rolled her eyes. "Absolutely not. I told you, I'm not into idols." Her words were clipped as she walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sheryl called after her.

"To get some jam," Mimi shot back over her shoulder before heading toward the kitchen.

The girls' attention quickly shifted back to the screen as one of the trainees began their performance, their voices rising in excitement.

Cain, meanwhile, was still stuck listening to their loud commentary, despite his best efforts to block it out.
Experience tales with m v|l e'm,p y r

"Looks like you've gathered some fans," Fifi remarked, appearing by his side with a grin.