Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"It's okay." She suddenly relaxed, then looked around and walked over to the chestnut-haired girl with her luggage. "I almost didn't recognize you, sorry to keep you waiting." Clara said softly, looking at the suitcase in front of her, while a few passersby stood on the platform a short distance away, waiting for the hover bus to descend. Unlike Tilan, who was gradually coming to terms with it, Clara had fully realized half a year ago that this friend and classmate of hers had become someone completely out of reach for ordinary people. Being a semi-public figure herself, a minor internet-famous idol, she understood all too well that the term "Songstress" signified a rank entirely different from the contemporary celebrities. Ordinary trending stars might capture a lot of attention this year, but in three to five years, few would remember their names and deeds. But as a Songstress, even after three or five decades, countless people would still cherish and eagerly await her works. This enduring attention and affection were something those trending stars could hardly dream of. And while many idols had achieved a certain level of popularity, they were, after all, just ordinary people. They encountered all kinds of troubles in reality, such as villains coveting their wealth or ill-intentioned individuals, causing many idols to dare not reveal their real addresses or names. But as a Songstress, not only were they protected officially, but they could also directly influence the local political environment. Since there would definitely be a large number of personnel from the Central Council stationed around a Songstress for protection, personnel who could not be bribed or influenced by local governments, any place a Songstress frequented often had a much clearer political atmosphere. After cautiously interacting for a few minutes, Tilan and Clara were picked up by a hover car, which took them to the airport. Before long, the plane bound for the Northern Seventh District took off, carrying them back to their hometown. Traveling from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere wasn't just about crossing half a planet; it was a vast leap from summer to winter. When Tilan and Clara exited the airport, the air they exhaled turned into white mist, and Clara felt a chill spreading from the soles of her feet upwards, prompting her to involuntarily move her legs. Glancing at the still calm Tilan beside her, Clara wanted to say something but then closed her mouth. The child was already a Sequence 5, certainly not afraid of this level of cold. After all, Clara had watched the winter competition live broadcast; Tilan's terrifying combat power meant that even in sub-zero temperatures, she would probably be as lively as ever. "Clara, are you cold?" Tilan took Clara's hand, and a strange feeling followed, quickly making Clara feel no longer uncomfortable. It was an odd sensation; it wasn't a feeling of warmth, but she wasn't cold anymore. Perhaps this was the blessing of a Songstress's power. The two continued towards the buildings near the airport until they stopped in front of a large domed structure several minutes later. "Do you remember that day?" Tilan gazed at the large building in front of her, reminiscent of dark gold glass, recalling the nervousness of undergoing the Academy's interview inside. "I remember, probably never forget in my lifetime," Clara said, showing a slightly complex expression that contained nostalgia, envy, but mostly gratitude. "Back then, Lina was smug, Mili was a bit vain, and I was naive, while Hexia, like a hidden gem, had yet to catch everyone's eye," Clara lamented the situation at the time. Looking back, although she also helped Hexia later, during that period, she hadn't really paid much attention to Hexia, only acting on impulse. If it hadn't been for that class reunion where she chose to help Hexia instead of standing idly by, she might now be like the other middle school classmates of Hexia, with whom she no longer kept in touch. Ever since Hexia became famous, many of her former middle school classmates tried to mend their relationship with her or sent various private messages and emails apologizing and saying hello, but Clara knew that Tilan had never responded. Clara actually understood quite well Tilan's choice not to forgive and to distance herself, or rather, few could understand Tilan's feelings as she could, because she had fully witnessed Tilan's life transition from a beautiful home environment as a child, to the dark downfall in middle school, and then to taking flight again in high school. The incredible disparity, the drastic changes in circumstances, even Tilan's personality had become somewhat distorted during middle school, and only now was she gradually recovering. Back then, everyone was still naive, acting on their own feelings without realizing it, unintentionally hurting some people. Some hurts were shallow and would slowly melt away in the nostalgia of memories as we parted, but others that wounded self-esteem and left inner shadows, the person involved would likely struggle to let go for half a lifetime. Clara recalled her own childishness and impulsiveness from that time. Fortunately, she had been obsessed with other things, and her interactions with Tilan were few. If she had been in close contact with Tilan back then, they probably wouldn't be friends now. Standing in front of the snow-covered steps, Tilan looked at the quiet building in the night, remembering the scene of that day. She had just finished a tense and nervous interview, stepped out to reunite with everyone, and really wanted to tell them all that she had taken a brave step forward, but was afraid of being ridiculed, so she kept it to herself. Looking back now, feelings were mixed, and it was hard to distinguish between nostalgia, sorrow, or even a sense of relief and so on. "Has Clara's wish come true now?" she turned and asked her companion in the snow. Clara closed her eyes, contemplating the past six months, then opened them. "It has succeeded, but this isn't the end," she jumped off the steps, her feet landing in the snowdrift, leaving two deep pits behind. "Becoming an internet idol has indeed fulfilled my wish. However, the more I engage in this profession, the more I realize that my career is just beginning. Many things I neglected for fun in the past now need to be caught up on, and making everyone continue to like me is no easy task," Clara hopped around in the snow a few times before turning around. "It's a lot of pressure, but it's also exciting. This feeling is great!" she exclaimed loudly in the snowfield, finally leaping high, turning midair, and then landing heavily into the snowpile, flinging up a mass of fluffy snowflakes, her face alight with joy like an innocent child. Seeing Clara so freely unleashing herself, Tilan couldn't help but smile, clapping her hands together. "That's great, let's work hard together, and never forget~" "Ah, forever? That seems so long. I still want to be lazy sometimes," Clara replied in surprise. "How could you lose your spirit so quickly?" the girl teased with a laugh that she couldn't hide. "Because I know myself; I'm the playful type. If I'm forced to do something, I end up not wanting to do it at all," Clara candidly expressed her own shortcomings. "I've always believed in the joy principle, which is to happily get the hard work done in joy. Otherwise, if I am to push through with resentment and repression, I simply can't do it," Clara patted her chest, introducing her true self to Hexia. "That sounds nice, but what if some things are just too hard to enjoy?" the girl asked curiously. "Then I'd leave it for someone else to do. If I can escape, I'll escape. If that's not possible, I'll just go around. Anyway, the joy principle comes first," Clara gestured with her fingers, sharing her perspective. "I don't believe there's anything that can't be avoided. Of course, if you're talking about death, then I have no counterargument." "I'm not as strong or kindhearted as Tilan. If someone really makes me feel miserable, I will retaliate fiercely. I won't overly concern myself with other people's emotions and feelings because I'm not strong enough yet to be gentle in the face of everything," Clara spoke with frank self-assurance. "Even so, such a Clara is still dazzling," she added. The two walked in the snow-covered night, talking about the past and the future, heading towards the direction of home in the distance, until their laughter and silhouettes slowly disappeared in the winter's falling snow. The New Year's bells rang slowly, leaving the past gradually behind, and a brand new future was also slowly arriving.