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Caelus nervously looked around the lobby of a stadium filled to the brim with people. Said people here are mostly teenagers and middle-aged women. Most of them are decked from top to bottom with a familiar idol merchandise which you can buy in the stand just beside the ticketing booth. He peeked at one of the price tags and immediately had a full body shiver when he saw how expensive it was.
Caelus had to sacrifice at least three months of his monthly passes for his gacha game just to buy one of these T-shirts.
At first, he was both amazed and a little bit jealous towards the fans of these idols—especially the teenagers—that can afford most of the merchandise. But then again, he’s probably not any better considering he’s an avid gacha player and probably spent as much as them for a mere moving PNG in a game.
Both Caelus and these fans are the same after all, they just have different hobbies that they spend their money into.
He finds his way to the nearest wall—away from any crowds—to lean on and rest his mind a bit. He fiddled with the ticket pass hanging from his neck, courtesy from one of his friends. Thinking back on it again, he still can’t believe he would attend any idol concert in his life other than to Robin’s concerts, even then he usually goes there to accompany March and Firefly as their chauffeur.
And because Sunday practically pushed every concert tickets on his face along with some threats if he doesn't come.
Now, he’s holding an ID pass reserved for a VIP seat that he got for free to an idol concert he doesn’t even know.
Caelus - VIP++ Guest
He knows if this pass happens to catch the eye of a fangirl nearby, he would receive glares and pointed looks from said fan and their group. He already had enough of those when he passed the ticketing booth, even from the staff themselves. Most of all, Caelus felt bad because he gets to sit at the most expensive seat for free—right in front of the stage with additional benefits—when he knows next to nothing when he’s surrounded by diehard fans who have probably sacrificed a lot of their financial decisions just to support their idol.
Caelus insisted that Aglaea better give it to someone more deserving than him, yet she said that there’s no one else other than him.
He only lends his hand to manage her cosplay business for a few weeks when she has to attend the fashion week in Milan and meet up with her international clients. Caelus was, of course, paid generously—way too generous—and was given some vouchers for her custom cosplay order. He expected nothing else from her, because what she paid him was already way too much in his opinion. Aglaea’s custom order, whether it’s for her official boutique business or her side job in cosplay making, is priced way beyond his pay grade.
If Caelus had to save up for three months to buy one of this idol’s merchandise, he had to save up for at least two years with his current paycheck to put in one singular order for Aglaea’s custom clothing.
Then she just had to go and mail this VIP pass to Caelus not even one day after that.
Sure, he tried to argue with Aglaea that he didn’t need something like this because he barely kept up with idol stuff in the first place. But she mentioned how this idol is one of her regular clients and fosters a pretty close relationship with her. He apparently tends to give her a few tickets to his concert that she can give away to her friends, and usually she gives it to Castorice or Hyacine.
But Hyacine is currently in another continent for medical convention and Castorice worked as one of the staff for this concert. Giving this extra ticket to them would be meaningless and she doesn’t want it to go to waste.
“You could give it to one of your regular customers, right? I’m sure one of them is a fan of this idol if he’s the… uh… top of the ranking right now?” Caelus sighs into his phone.
“Not always the top, but he’s up there. Sure I can name a few of my regulars who are a diehard fan of this man, but they’re wealthy enough to buy their own seat.”
“Just hold a giveaway on your account then, randomly pick a lucky fan, and boom, mission complete.”
“But the idol who happens to be my student specifically requested that I give this precious ticket away to someone important to me.”
“I’m… flattered? You think of me that way?”
“Why won’t you be important to me, Caelus. You helped me so much, not to mention regarding Ciphera, Castorice, and Hyacinthia too.”
“Ah, uh, you know about all that?”
“Even about that blasphemous professor too.”
“You even know the thing with Professor Anaxa?” Caelus scratched the back of his head. “Of course nothing gets past you, huh?”
A small chuckle registered from the other line. “Who do you think I am? In any case, there’s no harm in accepting this. Even if you’re not particularly excited about the concert itself, the VIP privilege also has a backstage pass, free snack and lunch, and a goodie bag full of merchandise.”
Caelus gulped the bile in his throat at that. “Lunch and… merchandise?”
“Hmm. A five star buffet and expensive merchandise like a few clothes I designed myself.”
“....”
“There’s a jacket and a hoodie included in the goodie bag.”
Caelus is a sucker for good, comfortable outerwear like those especially if he can get them for free. She knows exactly where to strike where it hurts.
Hearing no response from the other line, Aglaea continued her talk. “I’ll arrange a private ride for you?”
“I will gratefully accept your gift for me.”
And that’s how Caelus finds himself here in the crowded stadium which is decked from top to bottom with the idol’s face. Banners, posters, standees, clothing, dolls, all that jazz. Even Caelus is surprised to see such a wide variation of goodies from a one-person idol. He’s pretty sure this even precedes some of the idol groups March often talked about.
Speaking of March, does she know about this particular idol?
March does follow a lot of girl idols and girl groups, even stanning some of them as one of her hobbies. Well, many of them. She even has a room exclusively for all the posters and merchandise of her favorite idols—which mostly consisted of Robin. She may not be a fan of this person, but there’s no way March won’t know about him if Aglaea said this student of hers is one of the top idols in the industry right now.
Caelus takes out his phone and snaps a photo of one of the huge banners hanging from the ceiling. He reviewed the photo to see if it’s clearly captured before directing his eyes back to the banner. It’s a blue and white banner with accents of gold and black, with various edits to make the person on it stand out more.
The male idol has striking white hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in fantasy-inspired knightly attire with a black choker around his neck. His outfit and the backdrop are adorned with sun and moon motifs, while his handsome face beams with a radiant smile, his eyes sparkling with genuine happiness.
Caelus isn’t sure if the image has been edited to enhance his appearance, but he can’t ignore how captivating the idol is. Though only half of his figure is visible on the banner, his muscular build is clear, and judging by the standees near the entrance—assuming they’re accurate to the real thing—he must be impressively tall.
It’s no wonder if he managed to capture a lot of hearts with that appearance alone. That face of his must be at the top 0.01% of the population.
Caelus clenched the phone in his hand when he noticed something amiss about all this. Aglaea must’ve known that this person is exactly his type based on the physical appearance alone. She worked together a lot with Caelus in her cosplay business, she must’ve noticed how he is always attracted to a certain template of a character’s appearance more so than others.
Light-haired, exotic-colored eyes, and heroic vibe all over.
He should’ve suspected Aglaea was up to something when she adamantly tried to make Caelus attend this concert. This is clearly a set up. She probably want to rope in another loyal fan for her student slash client and in that way she can make more money with the increasing amount of fanbase—
Nah, unlikely. Aglaea is not short on money just like this idol too, and they definitely doesn’t need any of Caelus’.
But he still has a feeling that Aglaea has an ulterior motive for inviting him, though he doesn’t have any proof.
Caelus shakes his head, trying to stop himself from overthinking again. Even if he’s suspicious about all this, it’s not polite of him to continue that train of thoughts after accepting Aglaea’s good grace. Not to mention, this particular gift is probably worth a lot more than he can ever put a price on, especially to most of the people in this location. He probably burned out his luck for the rest of the year for this gift.
But it won’t hurt if he checked the ticket price online, right?
With a simple surf on the web, Caelus easily found the website where this idol sells his concert ticket for this particular date in this location. Sure enough, all of the seats for today’s and tomorrow’s concert are already sold out from the priciest to the cheapest one. He sorted the ticket prices from the cheapest from the built-in filter, and he almost had a heart attack seeing the lowest price tag for this concert.
80$ for the seat at the back of the stadium? Eighty dollars?
What do you even enjoy from back there? Just the overall vibe? Caelus could buy the monthly pass in his gacha game for a full year. By adding 20 more dollars, he could buy the most expensive pack in the top-up store. Caelus could pull for a guaranteed five star with the money these people use to enjoy the vibe of the concert?
Caelus swallowed the bile in his throat before swiping down as fast as he could to get a peek on the most expensive price.
VIP+ Package with full benefits* - 1500$
He almost got a heart attack from seeing the price alone. Caelus clutched the ticket pass hanging from neck before slipping it inside of his hoodie. If he suspects that someone would hurt him for this pass, now he’s sure that someone would kill him for this pass. If he knew that he would walk around today with a stack of 1500$ bills hanging from his neck, he would take more caution.
Thank god I haven’t asked anything from March yet or she will really have my head if she knows about this.
He knows how… enthusiastic idol fan bases can be about their hobbies. He has his fair share of experiencing it when he attended Robin’s concert multiple times. He doesn’t even have to look far, his pink-haired best friend already represents their whole energy.
A pricey ticket, huh.
A scummy idea entered his mind, making him think that he could easily sell this. He is surrounded by die hard fans of this idol, Caelus could easily hold an announcement to auction off this pass to the highest offer. He knows that some of these fans are willing to pay anything to get their hands on this pass. Aglaea also didn’t say anything about selling it or giving it away. Maybe he could give this to March and make her owe him a favor.
Caelus shakes his head once again.
Begone, evil thoughts. There’s no way he could ever do something like that. Exploiting the interest of these fans, and even more so betray the trust of his close friends? His conscience wouldn’t let him off alive if he ever does something like that. These fans’ love for their idol is genuine, just like Aglaea’s sincere feelings when she gave this pass to him.
Caelus would sooner jump into incoming traffic than actually amuse that idea.
He scowled heavily as his gaze returned to his phone screen. Such immense wealth weighed heavily on his conscience—perhaps it was for the best that he could never match Aglaea’s riches. Now, all he wanted was for the day to hurry by. The faster he got through this, the sooner he could go back to his usual troubles.
Wait.
He looked at the package’s name once again as he took out the ticket pass from under his hoodie. The most expensive package is labeled VIP+ meanwhile the one in his hand is named… VIP++. Is there a difference? Or maybe his ticket pass has a misprint on it? If that was the case, it would make sense for Aglaea to give this away for him. Maybe it’s just one of the faulty tickets they can’t sell but still usable, so the staff would usually give this away to friends and families.
“Mr. Caelus? I’m calling for Mr. Caelus?”
Before he could dwell on the thought any longer, a voice he recognized instantly cut through the noise of the crowd. Caelus glanced up to spot a young woman with long lavender hair—flowing down to her thighs and tied into a sleek ponytail—her keen lilac eyes scanning the surrounding area. She wore a fitted black shirt emblazoned with the bold white letters "STAFF" across the front, a small sun logo stitched just below the text. Caelus quickly stepped forward, raising a hand in an eager wave to catch her attention.
“Castorice! I’m here!”
He could see the shift in her expression clearly—the way the tension in her features softened, the subtle parting of her lips in surprise before curling into a delighted smile. Without a second thought, she darted toward him, her hurried steps drawing attention from nearby onlookers.
"Caelus!" she called out, breathless with excitement. "I’m so glad to meet you again!"
His own face mirrored her enthusiasm, his grin widening as he nodded eagerly. "Castorice! Trust me, the feeling’s mutual!" he replied, his voice brimming with warmth. But almost immediately, his happiness was tinged with concern as he glanced around. "Wait—shouldn’t you be backstage right now? The concert’s about to start, isn’t it?"
As much as he adored seeing her after so long, a nagging worry settled in his chest. The thought of her getting reprimanded—or worse—because of him made his stomach twist. He’d never forgive himself if he caused her trouble at work. “Ah, actually I am here to pick you up and guide you to your seat!”
Caelus tilted his head in confusion at that. “No worries, I can confidently navigate my way to the VIP+ seat! You don’t have to trouble yourself, I already memorized the seating map of this place.” He assured her calmly, not wanting to give her more trouble. It would be bad if Castorice got into some trouble with her higher ups because she has to take care of her friend instead of her work.
Instead of having a troubled look on her face, she only smiled brighter at Caelus. “I'm not lying Caelus, I am here to escort you to your seat!”
Huh?
Caelus pointed at himself. “Me? Are you sure you’re escorting me?”
Castorice laughs at his confused look. Sure, Caelus got a VIP seat courtesy of Aglaea, but it doesn’t come with a personal escort no? He rushed to check his phone again, double-checking the benefits that were listed for both the VIP and VIP+ packages just in case he missed something. No, it doesn’t say anything like that even with the highest package.
“Castorice, you really don’t have to accompany me to my seat, I can go on my own–” Before Caelus can finish his sentences, the staff girl is already holding back her laugh with a knowing look.
“No. I was right to be here, Caelus. I’m supposed to escort our esteemed guest to their seat.”
Esteemed guest? Surely that can’t be—
“It is you, Caelus.” Oh, did he just say that out loud? “May I check your pass?” The man obediently unclipped the ticket from his lanyard before giving it to the staff in front of him. “See?” Castorice pointed towards the VIP++ symbol printed on the laminated ticket. “I was right, not to mention this is a direction from Miss Aglaea herself.”
Did Aglaea pull some strings again? Not only did she give him the most expensive ticket, now she’s arranging something like this for him too?
Seems like he can never stop working with Aglaea anymore.
“But the website said that the highest package only offer—”
“That’s because your package is not listed to the public.”
What.
“What?” His shock is so palpable, it becomes audible.
“Your package is the VIP++ one, it’s not for the public to access.” Caelus looked at her like she just grew two heads. “This package is meant for our sponsors and alike.”
Huh?
With a glass of orange juice in his hands, Caelus looked around the luxurious room confusedly. People are dressed in formal attires around him, some of them even dressed to the nines. He's not sure if he's still in the same venue meant for an idol concert anymore. Unlike him, those people are nursing a clear glass filled with golden champagne while Caelus chose to have this orange liquid to accompany him.
He stayed to the corner of the room, hoping that he would go unnoticed to the rest of the guests. Castorice had to leave him here all by himself because she suddenly got notified through her radio that she was needed on another location. The staff did promise Caelus that he won't be there alone for too long because Aglaea will arrived soon.
As Caelus prays for the seamstress' arrival to be faster than ever, he sips on the cold orange juice in his hands while being reminded how different Aglaea's world is compared to him. Sometimes, just sometimes, he forget that she owned the most sought-after fashion high-end brand while also being a world class designer that have a waiting list longer than the great wall of China itself, not just a cosplay maker enthusiast who makes Caelus' costume for almost every event.
A few eyes already caught his form no matter how much he tried to blend into the walls. He can't deny he sticks out like a sore thumb when he's just wearing his usual day-to-day clothes compared to their formal business attires. They must've been wondering if he's a fan getting lost while trying to find his seat or just a civilian trying to get some free food and services.
Caelus almost choked on his juice when he accidentally locked eyes with a group of businessmen who glared at him instead of looking away.
Aglaea, please get here faster.
One of the ladies in that group said something to the others that were met with unanimous agreement before started walking closer to where Caelus is standing. He panicked inwardly as he looked around, silently praying that the woman is not approaching him. Much to his fear, he is the only human on that corner of the room and she is undoubtedly approaching him.
With each steps she took, Caelus recited Aglaea's name in his heart, begging her to save him from this predicament.
"Excuse me, but I have to ask you to leave—"
Just as she let out a few words indicating that she wants Caelus out of here, the door to the lounge is suddenly opened with a loud sound, silencing the chatters and muttes inside the room. A familiar blonde-haired woman confidently walked into the lounge with a regal aura surrounding her. It wasn't long before the click of those heels is suddenly stopped with a barrage of people blocking her way.
"Lady Aglaea, I was waiting—"
"My lady, do you remember me—"
"Let me introduce myself, I'm—"
Caelus whistled lowly into his glass, seeing how Aglaea remain calm and unnerved, facing the crowd that is vying for her attention right now. Even the woman who was trying to scold Caelus just a few seconds ago, now is excitedly approaching the seamstress, looking like she just found a gold mine.
The blonde expressed her disinterest with her blank face, maybe even some annoyance the way she never bothered to properly addressed any of those enthusiastic people. She took out her intricate folded fan from her purse before opening it to cover half of her face. Her eyes looked around the room as if trying to fine something interesting before they fall on Caelus' figure in the corner of the room.
Her whole being lights up immediately—her body, eyes, and even her smile curved up pleasantly before dispersing the crowd in front of her and walked closer to Caelus.
Once she got close enough, Caelus offered a small wave and sees mirth flitting across Aglaea's eyes, trying to hide her smile behind the fan. "What do I owe to have you appear before me today?" The man jokingly sighs when he heard those words coming out of her. "Stop speaking like you didn't plan this to happen, milady."
She let out a small chuckle before folding her fan with a slap on her palm. "How are you doing today, Caelus? I hope this humble lounge manage to satisfy you." He almost let out a scoff. "Are you being serious right now, Aglaea?"
The lady just tilted her head in amusement before her smile turn into something gentler. "Don't be so stiff, I just want to repay you for the service that you did for me a few days ago."
"You're saying that I did you a big favor when it was just a managing your store and social account."
"But those things truly helped me when I have no one else to rely on while I was overseas you know."
"You already paid me too much to my taste, now you also dragged me to watch your favorite idol's concert?"
Caelus could hear a couple of whispering loudly when he speak out those words, they're practically seething with rage just from his question. They are either a huge fan of Aglaea or the idol himself, and they don't appreciate their icon got treated so casually by a mere unknown guy. Seems like some of these people genuinely likes this particular idol.
The glaring stare almost bore a hole on him.
Maybe a bit too much.
"I know this isn't your usual thing, but I can guarantee that my apprentice will give you a great performance beyond your expectations." Seeing the confident smirk on Aglaea's face makes Caelus rethink his assumption about the whole thing. Is this idol really that great? Especially for Aglaea herself to compliment someone this much and acknowledge him as one of her apprentices despite being in different field of work.
"I never see you being this proud, Lady Aglaea." Caelus teases, inciting a small blush on her cheeks. She fanned herself to cover her shyness, making Caelus' smirk even wider. "Well, he is one of my beloved students and seeing how he grows all this time, it's hard for me not to be proud of him."
The way Aglaea talking about this male idol scratched something in Caelus' brain. It feels like they had this conversation about another student of hers multiple times before this. "Hey Aglaea," If his guts is right, then it would be…
"Is this idol that we're talking about is the very same student you always mentioned in our conversations before?"
Aglaea's eyes widened at his question. "Oh my, did you just realize?"
"You never mentioned his name okay! You always called him as 'the puppy', and it doesn't help that professor Anaxa mentioned him as 'unruly student of mine'!" At the mention of Anaxa's name, Aglaea's face immediately twisted into a displeasure and squinted her eyes at him.
"You can tell that blasphemous scholar and I were talking about the same person yet you can't connect at the first look that Phainon is the very same person in our discussions?"
"I never see the guy?! Considering how much both you and Anaxa talked about him, it's pretty hard not to connect the dots."
Aglaea folded a hand with a loud sound. "I can't stand being in the same sentence as him."
"Really?" Caelus tilted his head. "But aren't you two always together when—" His words are cut off as soon as Aglaea pushed her folded fans against his lips. Her glare combined with the curious looks from the bystander is enough to lock Caelus' lips if he doesn't want to lose his life.
"Anyway, the show is about to start soon, I recommend you try to keep your jaws together during the whole performance."
"Oh?" He is a bit surprised at the woman's cockiness. It's not like he never see her being this cocky, but to have that attitude regarding another person? "I'm expecting Beethoven being reborn on the stage then."
"Didn't realize you're a classical music enthusiast, Caelus." She giggled when hearing his reply. "He might not be Beethoven, but he did placed on the top of every single chart you could think of, he's pretty decent if I have to say."
Every chart? Even the CLOCKIE chart that Sunday himself losing his sleep over because his top idol sister didn't took the first place some of the times? Every single chart? Caelus pulled out his phone to open the internet. Aglaea meets his distrustful eyes with a knowing smile, confident in her claims. True enough, every single chart Caelus searched up shows Phainon at the top of the leaderboards, including the international ones.
So this is the guy Sunday has been cursing over every night for taking Robin's spot at the top multiple times?
Caelus pouted at Aglaea who is tilting her head as if saying that she's always right about things like these. "How come I never heard of him then?" To that, the seamstress responded with the most deadpan look he's ever seen on her face.
"Caelus, the only music you're hearing are either from video games or cartoons—"
"Um, they're actually called anime,"
"—other than that, it's whatever that angelic idol is making. Even then, it's mostly because of your relationship with her and her brother."
The gray-haired man can't say anything to that. If he were to open his music playlist right now, it will be filled with the most mixed genre of music anyone ever seen just because they were the theme of his favorite video games or the opening and ending song of the animes that he likes. He doesn't even try to find out more about the bands or the singers that shows up more than one times in his playlist other than their songs that appeared in the animes or games.
And just like Aglaea said, one particular singer that doesn't fall into either category is Robin herself because he knows her personally and genuinely likes and supports her songs, added with the threat from March and Sunday if he doesn't want to listen to her songs.
Caelus pouted at her again, being stumped by her response. "That doesn't mean I will like his songs, though."
Now that he's holding his phone, might as well send March the message he wanted to send earlier in the lobby regarding this male idol he's about to watch. Now that he has more information and more dots to connect, this idol seems to be involved and connected with many of Caelus' friends more than he thought so at first.
"Oh, do you want to make a bet with me then?" Aglaea opened her fan and smiles mischievously from behind it.
"Hmm?" Caelus absentmindedly hummed, still focused on typing the message to go along with the picture he took earlier in the entrance. If he's the top idol in various charts there's no way an idol otaku like March doesn't know anything about him.
"Sure, what will I get?" As he pressed send to the chat box and waited for the other person's response. It's March's day off so he's guaranteed to receive a reply from her in the next 15 seconds at most.
"Already confident about winning are we? We haven't even set the terms yet." Caelus shrugged at Aglaea's amusement. "It's already half the process, right?" He smirks back as he pressed the top of his phone to his bottom lips. Aglaea laughs joyously at his response before giving him a satisfying nod.
"You can get the next three of your orders to me free of charge," Caelus let out a shocked noise. "And also your order for the next six months will be placed at the top of my priority list."
The gray-haired man let out a louder gasp, followed by some whispers that's been listening on their conversation all this time. He closed his opened mouth by covering it with his palm while staring at Aglaea like she just grew three heads.
"How about the free vouchers you gave me—"
"Those are still valid regardless you win or lose this bet."
The offer is too tempting to be declined. Not only that he will become her priority customer for the next six months, he also get the next three orders to Aglaea for free.
"What happen if I lose?"
Aglaea rests the top of her fan against her chin, letting out a gentle hum. "All your contracts for the next six months should be exclusive to me."
"Ah, so you just want me to be unemployed then," Caelus rolled his eyes in retaliation.
"No," She tapped her fan playfully against Caelus' arm. "I will still pay you for your worth regardless, I just want you to work for me only in the next 6 months." She shrugged her shoulders.
"And you'll be the opposite of unemployed actually, I will make sure the next 6 months will be the busiest moment in your life." The woman said it so joyfully with the brightest smile on her face, Caelus almost got deluded that she's talking about it being the best thing that will ever happen to his career.
He works at a publishing company mainly as their photographers and editors that work alongside agencies and celebrities. One of the main benefits from working there is that the employees aren't required to come to the office most of the time—unless it's for their weekly meetings or important events—so Caelus have way more time in his hands to do some freelance work with the clients he came to know from working in this place too.
It's a leisure, highly skilled with a great amount of pay kind of job added with the his side hustle in the freelance field with high flexibility. With these, Caelus only had to experience all-time rush hour every few months in a year when the deadlines for a big project is coming up.
Now, if Caelus lose this, he had to experience it every single month for the next six ones with Aglaea.
He can't do that, he needs his afternoon naps and all-nighter of games. He sure has it easy all this time and he tried to never taking it for granted.
"What's the bet again?" Caelus asked, his tone just slightly louder than a whisper. Like a shark smelling the scent of blood in the waters, Aglaea smirked like she knew she got him hook, line, and sinker.
"Like you said earlier, whether will you get addicted to my student's performance or not."
"Okay, addicted seems a little too far fetched for my first time seeing," Aglaea shakes her head on his scoff. "No, as much as you're confident in yourself, I'm confident in my student's skills."
Caelus hummed again in response. She's sure sounds like she's not going to lose against him, should he really accept that bet? Her confidence alone should be enough of a warning for him not to take this one and just let it go.
But the free custom cosplay and priority list though…
Caelus thinks about it again. Hard.
The worse outcome would probably be me not having anymore free time for the next 6 months but then again the amount of money in my bank account would be worth it by the end of it…
"Alright, deal." Caelus offered his hand for Aglaea to shake on which she graciously accept.
Just then, his phone immediately buzzed with several incoming messages. His hand went back to his pocket to fish it out, but he got distracted by the door to the room being opened once again. But now it reveals Castorice with a panicked expression on her face as her eyes searched around the room, before they fall onto Aglaea's form. Attentive to the situation, Aglaea met the approaching Castorice with a serious look on her face.
"What's going on?"
"It's about the photographer—"
Caelus tried to pay attention to the conversation before him but his buzzing phone demanded his attention. The screen showed around 25 notifications from March alone. What kind of message did he send March earlier that warrant this kind of response? Oh, about this Phainon guy. As expected, she must've known something about him, huh?
Before he can open one of the newest notifications—that's keep buzzing in every second—Aglaea grabbed him by the arm to pull him closer to them.
"What—"
"Use him." The seamstress calmly stated. "Did you bring your camera?"
Caelus shakes his head, why would he bring his work equipment when he didn't intend to take any pictures in the first place?
"What brand do you usually use?"
Although confused, Caelus' mouth is still moving to answer her question. "My favorite is Canon, but I can go with Nikon—"
"Our photographer used Canon!" Castorice cut his sentence off with hurried tone.
"Prepare the necessary camera for him, don't hesitate to grant him any other requests for other equipment and alike if he asked for them." Aglaea nodded at the staff before pushing Caelus towards her.
"Thank you, Lady Aglaea. Let's go, we don't have any time left, Caelus!" Castorice grabbed him by the arm as she dragged him towards the exit. The man confusedly switch his looks between the two woman, helplessly struggling in Castorice's hold as she pulled him without any effort.
"Hey, wait—- What's—!" Caelus called back to the seamstress who is currently waving goodbye to him with her fan. "Don't worry, you'll be properly compensated."
"That's not the point here!"
Caelus can't believe he has to work on his day off.
He really shouldn't have accepted the invitation from Aglaea to this concert if it's going to end up like this. Hell, Caelus should just sell that ticket anonymously on the internet and use the money to spend on summer sales for PC games while he lounging around at home. But knowing the nature of the ticket, Aglaea could easily tracked the ticket back to him if that buyer ends up coming to the concert with it.
But still, he really should've declined this concert visit.
Now he has to stand in front of the stage alongside the security guards and the audience behind the divider. At least he doesn't have to stand between the crowds. He grumbles under his breath as he adjusted the ISO and the lighting in this borrowed camera.
So it turns out the issue Castorice was talking over with Aglaea earlier was that their company's photographer came down with food poisoning right before the concert was about to begin. They're left with almost no time to find a replacement, and a regular staff member just doesn't have the skill to get the quality of photos this event needs.
Castorice mentioned that these pictures are crucial for his future interviews and albums, likely to be used for highlights and as extra merchandise.
And while Caelus primarily works inside a studio for his main job, it's not as if he's a stranger to shooting in a chaotic environment like this. March and Sunday have always pushed him into taking pictures of Robin whenever he got pulled along to her concerts, and he even then he managed to get the most perfect shot despite the jostling crowds and the heat.
He'll make sure to milk Aglaea dry after this—if he's able to—and splurge all of it into the long awaited character in his favorite gacha game.
Look, Boreas… Daddy is working in his day off for you, so you better come home with your six copies and trace without any fuss…
Caelus glances around, noticing the people near him are either expressionless security personnel or enthusiastic fans pressed against the barricades. He has no desire to start a conversation with any of them—he can feel his social battery draining rapidly—even if he does want to learn more about the idol performing tonight. Admittedly, the guy is incredibly handsome and exactly Caelus's type, but good looks alone aren't sufficient to make it in this business, much less to climb to the peak of the industry.
Now that he thinks about it, might be the right time to check March's messages in his—
The gentle melody of a harp suddenly stopped him in his tracks, instantly capturing his focus. Shortly after, the sound of a piano joined in, building until the beat dropped and transformed into a powerful mix of electric guitar, drums, and bass. A figure emerged onto the stage, causing the cheers from the crowd behind him to swell to an overwhelming volume. His steps moved in perfect time with the music's rhythm before finally halting as he reached the center of the stage.
The spotlight ignited, illuminating the person everyone had been anticipating. It was the idol himself, wearing a black shirt with the top few buttons undone to reveal his chest. Around his neck was a long, dark scarf featuring a sun symbol at its center. He raised a golden microphone to his lips, gazing down at the audience with a smile that was both celestial and condescending, like an angel beholding his devotees.
"Good afternoon!" The man's greeting was met with another massive surge of cheers from the crowd. "Or perhaps I should say, good morning, my dear flames?!" Just from that simple alteration in his salutation, Caelus could physically feel himself being deafened by the intensified screams behind him. He noticed the security guard standing beside him visibly flinch from the overwhelming volume.
Aglaea should've supplied him with some earplugs.
"As always, thank you for carving out a moment from your valuable day to join my modest performance," Caelus let out a quiet scoff at the remark. He had seen platters of Caprese salad back in the lounge; did this guy even have any idea how expensive mozzarella was nowadays? "Shall we have another recurrence of fun?"
A thunderous "yes"—punctuated by shrieks—immediately answered his question. Caelus thought that if this man were the leader of a cult, not even a government entity could break up his following. The powerful grip he had on these people was no laughing matter; it was a level of control he hadn't even witnessed at one of Robin's concerts. This reminded the photographer of the golden seamstress who had mentored Phainon.
He made a mental note to thank both of them for not deciding to become villains.
"Let's turn up the heat!" Immediately, Caelus raised his camera and focused it on the idol on stage. His muscle memory, forged from years of experience, instinctively made him adopt a professional posture and a sharp focus on his subject. As the music swelled again, Caelus felt his ears being captivated by the singer's angelic, low-toned voice. He clicked his tongue in mock irritation, sensing his concentration beginning to waver with every passing second.
"I'm being blessed!" A fanboy shouted from nearby. That's great man, I'd like to think I am cursed to lose this bet against Aglaea.
Caelus adjusted the lens, his world narrowing to the viewfinder. The stage lights bled into a halo around Phainon, who was now striding across the platform with an effortless grace that seemed to command the very air around him. Caelus’s finger hovered over the shutter, tracking the movement, waiting for the perfect, unguarded moment.
And then it happened.
As Phainon turned towards his section of the crowd, his gaze, sharp and perceptive even from a distance, seemed to sweep across the sea of faces. It didn't glide past. It stopped. Through the intricate glass of the lens, Caelus watched, frozen, as those brilliant eyes locked directly with his own. It was an impossible, electric connection forged through technology and sheer presence. For a heartbeat, the roaring crowd faded into a dull, distant hum.
Then, Phainon’s lips curved. It wasn't the broad, performative smile he offered his screaming fans. This was different—slower, more intimate, and disarmingly knowing. A slight, deliberate crinkling at the corners of his eyes transformed his angelic expression into something attractively, dangerously conspiratorial. It was a smile meant for one person, a secret shared across the chaos, and it was aimed directly at Caelus.
Click.
The camera shutter whirred, capturing the moment on pure instinct, because Caelus’s own senses had short-circuited. A jolt, hot and startling, shot straight through his chest, and he felt his heart give a single, painful, and undeniable lurch against his ribs. It was a sensation so visceral it stole his breath.
In that suspended second, every cynical thought—about manufactured charm, expensive mozzarella, and cult-like followings—shattered into dust. All that remained was the devastating weight of that smile and the terrifyingly attractive man behind it.
He lowered the camera slightly, his professional composure cracked. This was the inevitable downfall, and he felt its approach with the clarity of a condemned man. He was not just capturing a performance anymore, he was being seen, acknowledged, and subsequently targeted.
And as Phainon finally broke the gaze and turned back to his adoring crowd, Caelus knew, with a sinking, thrilling certainty, that he was in serious, irreversible trouble. The line between observer and participant had not just been crossed, it had been utterly obliterated by a single, heart-stopping smile.
"Whooo!!!"
The sound was like a splash of cold water, jolting his system. With a loud cheer from a fan nearby, Caelus’s lungs finally remembered their function. He inhaled a sharp, large gulp of air, letting the oxygen slowly course through his body, alleviating the dizzying lightheadedness that had gripped him.
He pressed a hand over his sternum, feeling the frantic, rabbit-quick thumping against his palm. It was a frantic, physical testament to a spell he hadn't consented to being put under.
His knees buckled, the adrenaline that had surged through him now receding and leaving his muscles weak and his hands trembling uncontrollably. Crouched on the ground, he focused on the cool, solid feel of the camera in his grip, an anchor in the emotional tempest.
He drew in another slow, deliberate breath, then another, forcing his heart to gradually slow its frantic tempo from a wild gallop to a steady, if still elevated, rhythm.
"Heh."
Caelus could only chuckle to himself when he saw not only did he took multiple photos in a span of that short moment, these was also his best work yet. The image was perfect. Critically sharp, perfectly exposed. Phainon was framed in a way that seemed both divine and intensely personal. But it was the eyes that held him captive. Through the lens, they were even more potent, the knowing smile both a promise and a challenge.
But Caelus knows it was mainly because Phainon was the subject.
It was the moment his defenses had crumbled, preserved in stunning high resolution. He was no longer just a photographer documenting an idol; he was a man with photographic evidence of his own inevitable downfall.
Drawing a long, steadying breath, he pushed himself up from the floor. As he lifted his gaze back to the stage, he saw that Phainon had moved from his previous spot and was now engaging with fans on the opposite side. Even from this distance and angle, the man looked impossibly striking.
Caelus found himself wondering if the idol even had a bad side.
His mind began to wander, picturing what kind of portraits he could create if Phainon were in his own studio, on his home set. What theme would suit him best? Perhaps a knight in full, gleaming armor, set against a medieval backdrop? Or a modern-day pilot, exuding confidence and command?
Another idea entered his mind. Phainon dressed in casual, everyday clothes, looking as if he were just about to step out for a morning coffee to start his day. He could already list all the clothes inventory that will be needed for that shoot.
A torrent of creative concepts, down to the finest details of Phainon's makeup, had already flooded Caelus's imagination. While his mind raced with plans for a potential future shoot, his hands never once paused, continuing to capture photo after photo of the idol on stage. Castorice had mentioned that some of this material would be used for upcoming magazines and promotional ads.
The thought made Caelus wonder if he could possibly get Aglaea's approval to be the one in charge of Phainon's regular column—
Wow. Take a step back there now.
This was meant to be his day off, so why was he suddenly feeling so enthusiastic about work-related ideas? And to realize he had already taken this many pictures of the idol, after he had acted so reluctant earlier?
Wasn't the whole plan to squeeze as much money as possible out of Aglaea for this last-minute assignment, rather than scheming about how to negotiate with her just for the chance to work with Phainon again?
His gaze lifted to the second-floor balcony—where his own seat was located before he was summoned to work—and immediately met the eyes of Aglaea herself. She observed the scene with an expression of distinct satisfaction, a knowing smirk playing on her lips before she subtly concealed it behind her elegant fan.
Caelus can only clicked his tongue in mock annoyance as he rolled his eyes before going back to take more pictures of Phainon. He promptly returned to his task, capturing more images of Phainon. As the idol's catchy serenade filled the air, Caelus found the man's likeness searing itself into his vision.
Even if he were to shut his eyes at that very moment, the vivid afterimage of Phainon's smile and their penetrating eye contact remained, imprinted on the darkness behind his eyelids.
Looks like it's Caelus' loss this time around. He should prepare himself for the busiest 6 months he's ever had after this.
Maybe he should ask Aglaea for some health insurance to just in case she worked him to death.
The moment his lens found Phainon centered on the stage once more, Caelus's breath hitched, trapped in his throat. He was locked in that mesmerizing blue gaze again, the idol's attention unwavering. His hands stilled, the camera frozen mid-motion as he held his breath, a silent anticipation thrumming through him for what might come next.
Then, to his utter surprise, Phainon raised a hand, shaping his fingers into a playful finger-gun aimed directly at the lens. In one fluid, heart-stopping motion, he mimed the recoil of a shot and paired it with a devastating, deliberate wink. It was a targeted strike, charming and audacious, and Caelus was shot successfully.
"KYAAAA! DID YOU SEE?! HE DID THAT TO ME!!!"
"ARE YOU INSANE?! HE'S OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT ME!!!"
"HEY, I AM CLEARLY THE PERSON HE DID THAT TO!!!"
"AHHH, I GOT THE PERFECT CLIP!!!"
In a moment of sheer, self-preserving insanity, Caelus genuinely wished that Phainon had aimed that gesture at any of the adoring fans instead of him. He could feel a telltale warmth spreading across his face, a direct result of the targeted attention. Putting a hand to his chest, he could be the loud thumping vibrations from underneath his skin—he swears he almost got a heart attack just before this.
Yeah, he definitely need to request for a life insurance from Aglaea after this.
The sterile, post-concert hum of the staff lounge felt a world away from the roaring energy of the venue. Caelus leaned heavily against the wall, the condensation from the paper cup of orange juice Castorice had pressed into his hand cool against his palm—a small, grounding sensation he desperately needed. Every nerve still felt electrified, the ghost of Phainon's stage presence and that final, devastating wink lingering at the edges of his perception.
Aglaea materialized beside him, her presence as smooth and unnerving as ever. A knowing smirk played on her lips. "So," she began, her voice a low purr that cut through the ambient noise. "About the bet."
Caelus pointedly avoided her gaze, focusing instead on a scuff mark on the floor. He brought the cup to his lips, taking a slow, deliberate sip, using the action as a shield. He could feel it—the telltale heat creeping up his neck, flooding into his cheeks, a traitorous blush that betrayed his feigned nonchalance.
The sweet, tart juice did nothing to quell the simmering embarrassment and residual adrenaline coursing through him. He was painfully aware of every beat of his heart, a frantic rhythm that still hadn't quite settled.
From his other side, Castorice's cheerful voice provided a stark, almost jarring contrast. She was huddled over the borrowed camera, her fingers deftly navigating the viewfinder. "These are absolutely stunning, Caelus!" she gushed, her eyes wide with genuine admiration. "Look at this one—the composition, the way you captured the spotlight catching the sweat on his brow... and this! The way you captured the light in his eyes... it's like you can see right into his soul! It's just perfect!"
Caelus almost choked on his drink.
Aglaea’s smile widened, her eyes glinting with triumph as she peered over Castorice's shoulder. "Oh," she murmured, her tone dripping with deliberate implication. "This may be your best work yet."
That did it. The combination of the blush, the praise, and Aglaea's insufferable smugness became too much. In one swift motion, Caelus chugged the remainder of the orange juice and slammed the empty paper cup onto the nearest table with a definitive thud. He then spun around, pointing a rigid index finger directly at Aglaea, who remained impeccably calm even as the nearby staff members flinched and gasped at the sudden outburst.
"I want more life insurance for the next six months," Caelus demanded, his voice tight.
Aglaea didn't even blink. She calmly retrieved her phone from her pocket, tapped the screen a few times, and held it up for him to see. It displayed a digital contract. "We can discuss the particulars in your updated contract." she said, her voice serene yet leaving no room for argument.
Caelus groaned, the sound full of utter defeat. He let his hand drop, shoulders slumping. He knew that sound. His work life for the next half-year was now irrevocably in the hands of the golden seamstress.
Taking advantage of the distraction as Castorice enthusiastically presented more photos to Aglaea, Caelus retrieved his personal phone. A wave of exhaustion nearly made his legs give way when he saw the notification icon—a stark red circle with the number "20+"—blazing over March 7th's name.
He could already sense the deluge of frantic messages waiting to flood his screen the instant he opened the application. Shaking his head to mentally prepare for the onslaught, he drew a deep breath and tapped the notification, offering a silent, internal plea for strength as the messaging app began to load.
Despite his preparation, he almost took a step back when he was immediately greeted by a cascading wall of text, a chaotic, frantic stream of consciousness in digital form.
The texts ranged from:
"IS THAT PHAINON?!!!?? THE DELIVERER PHAINON????"
"OH MY GOD IS THAT PHAINON'S CONCERT?!
"BITCH ARE YOU AT HIS CONCERT??!!!"
"THE ONE THAT IS BEING HELD TODAY??!!!!"
To:
"CAELUS I SWEAR TO GOD, HOW DID YOU GET THERE?!!!"
"I DIDNT EVEN MANAGED TO GET EVEN ONE TICKET AFTER STAYING UP ALL NIGHT"
"WHICH DEVIL DID YOU SOLD YOUR SOUL TOO AND CAN I GET HIS NUMBER"
"HOWWWWWW"
To:
"I will kill you. I will literally kill you."
"I hate this, how did you get to attend his concert when you don't even know anything about him."
"This world is unfair and I will be the justice it needs."
"Prepare for your life."
To:
"I SWEAR TO GOD, YOU NEED TO TELL ME HOW DID THIS HAPPEN"
"WHAT STRINGS DID YOU PULL"
"WHAT DID YOU SACRIFICE"
"AND YOU BETTER LIKE HIM AFTER IT ENDS"
To:
"I recommend you listen to his first album, Elysium. People say there are better albums, but the magic in this one is unmatched."
"This is the online playlist I have for his songs! His songs has the same genres as your favorite ones."
"His public presence is great too, I recommend following his social medias, his posts are always a banger."
"This youtube channels post his official videos and clips from various shows, he has the same humor as you, Caelus."
Caelus blankly stared at his phone.
He sighed, a long, weary sound, as he scrolled through the frantic messages. Then, with a second, deeper sigh—this one laced with profound disappointment in himself—he began downloading every single picture and video March had sent. A small, resigned part of him already knew he would be enjoying them all later that night.
Caelus made a quick mental note to inquire with Castorice and Aglaea about any leftover concert merchandise he could take for March, hoping to appease her. He also considered if there might be something for himself. While he initially hoped to get it without cost, a somewhat alarming thought crossed his mind, he wouldn't actually mind spending his own money on it. This was a concerning development, especially with the annual summer sale for PC games just around the corner.
Yeah. That bad.
Just as Caelus was finally processing March's barrage of messages, a new, more immediate sensation overwhelmed him. A sudden, unfamiliar warmth draped around his shoulders, accompanied by the faint, expensive scent of cologne and stage smoke. His entire body locked up, his phone nearly slipping from his frozen fingers. Slowly, disbelievingly, he tilted his head and found himself staring into the brilliantly blue eyes of Phainon himself, who had casually slung an arm around him as if they were old friends.
“Castorice, Aglaea,” Phainon greeted, his voice a relaxed, melodic hum that was far too close to Caelus’s ear. He was still in his full concert regalia, the black shirt and golden sun pendant glittering under the harsh lounge lights.
Castorice beamed, offering a grateful clasp of her hands. “Phainon! Thank you for your hard work today! It was a magnificent performance.”
Aglaea, in contrast, let out a long, exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You should have at least changed out of your costume first, what did I tell you about causing problems for your team?”
"Good evening, Castorice. Thank you for your hard work as always, to have you in my team is the only thing I will never took for granted." Phainon offered Castorice a gracious smile before turning his charming smile toward Aglaea. “Be easy on me, would you? I just poured my entire soul out on that stage.” His tone was light, but held a thread of genuine fatigue.
Aglaea waved a dismissive hand. “Fine." She snapped her fan close to make an emphasis. "But do please keep your mitts off my photographer, he's one of my precious partners." She throws a pointed look towards the gray-haired man being pressed against Phainon's body, whose face's color could rival that of a boiled lobster and in the brink of passing out from holding in his breath from the surprise.
"Whoops, sorry about that!" With a chuckle, Phainon lifted his arm from Caelus’s shoulders.
For a single, blessed second, Caelus thought he was free and managed a shallow gasp of air. But then, Phainon’s hand simply slid down and settled firmly around his waist, pulling him just a fraction closer in a possessive side-hug. Caelus instinctively tried to subtly squirm away, but the idol’s grip was deceptively strong, his struggle was utterly futile.
"Phainon—" Aglaea speaks up before being interrupted by Phainon's raised hand.
“Hi you,” Phainon said, his voice softening as he finally addressed the stunned man in his grasp. He leaned in, his smile both dazzling and intimate. “This is our first meeting, right? Where do I begin?" He hummed thoughtfully, like he's putting proper attention on this whole thing.
"You can call me Phainon—though I have a feeling you're already well aware of that," he said, adding a playful wink that made Caelus's heartbeat stutter unpredictably. "The agency promoted my image as 'the Deliverer' though I barely saved any lives with this career. But I strive to fulfill the expectation of that image whenever I can."
He paused, his blue eyes gleaming with warm amusement. Then, with his other hand, he gently took Caelus's and brought it upward. In a move that was both gallant and tender, he pressed a soft kiss to the back of Caelus's hand, his expression sincere and open, like a knight offering his loyal devotion to someone he truly admired.
"Nice to meet you."
Caelus stood utterly mute, completely overwhelmed. The sensory onslaught of the concert, the looming weight of Aglaea's contract, his own jarring self-realization, and the impending inquisition from March had already stretched his nerves to their limit. How was he supposed to prepare or handle that the Phainon himself would graced his time today by appearing in person. Caelus barely processed that he's going to have a brand new obsession to haunt his days onward, but he didn't expect to see said obsession already introducing himself—prince charming style by the way—to Caelus.
It was Castorice—thank her—who addressed the elephant in the room first. "Umm, Phainon? Have you perhaps ever met Caelus before this?"
"Yeah," Aglaea wondered also. "What's with all this," Aglaea gestured to the whole thing—Phainon trying to keep Caelus close to him all this time—with her closed fan. "The sudden interest in the photographer?"
"How could I not notice him?" Phainon replied, as if it were obvious. "When you're on stage, you get a feel for the crowd. Most people look at you with the same kind of excitement. But him?" He glanced at Caelus. "His focus was different. It was intense, like he was actually trying to figure me out, not just cheer for the performer. When we locked eyes through the camera lens, I feel something… shifted inside me."
Phainon concluded his thought with a meaningful finality, his breath catching slightly with the weight of his words. In response, the gray-haired man felt another wave of heat flood his cheeks, a deep embarrassment washing over him. The realization that his intense focus had been so transparent—so unmistakably clear that the idol himself had noticed and been drawn to it—was utterly and completely mortifying.
Aglaea, who had been observing the entire scene with a sharp gaze, let out a soft “Ah.” of realization. “Is that why you were so uncharacteristically focused on the center-left section of the stage for the entire last half of the show?”
“Precisely!” Phainon confirmed, his gaze never wavering from Caelus. “It was because he was there. You see, in my line of work, I’ve grown accustomed to certain looks from the audience—adoration, wonder, pure euphoria. They’re all looking at ‘Phainon,’ the idol. But you…”
He leaned a little closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper meant only for Caelus. “Your gaze was different. It was intense, focused, and filled with such a profound curiosity. It wasn’t just about seeing a performer. It felt like you were trying to see through me, as if you were genuinely wondering what kind of soul resides behind this glittering facade.”
Phainon’s smile softened into something more real, more thrilling.
“And let me tell you,” he whispered, his hold on Caelus’s waist a warm, steady pressure, “to be looked at that way, to be truly seen after so long performing under spotlights… it’s the most exhilarating feeling I’ve had in years.”
Phainon moved closer, his face now so near that Caelus could feel the gentle whisper of his exhale. Caelus instinctively tried to pull back, but the arm wrapped firmly around his waist and the strong hand holding his own kept him securely in place. The idol's gaze was mesmerizing, and Caelus felt himself being drawn into those blue eyes without any resistance. As the tension and warmth between them grew overwhelming, Caelus instinctively closed his eyes, unsure if he was bracing for impact or silently hoping for something more.
Until something snapped right between their faces.
Suddenly, the delicate but firm barrier of Aglaea's fan slid perfectly into the narrow space between Caelus and Phainon, preventing the idol from closing the final distance. With an effortless motion, she used the fan to push Phainon's face back, then delivered a light, sharp tap to his forehead with its edge.
"Tch— Ow!" Phainon let out a pained hiss, immediately releasing his hold to rub the spot on his forehead. He directed a wounded, childish pout toward Aglaea.
"I would appreciate it if you refrained from harassing our temporary photographer," she stated, her voice cool and even as she withdrew the fan. "If this behavior were to end up in a courtroom, I would most certainly be testifying against you." She gestured elegantly with the fan toward the thoroughly bewildered gray-haired man.
At the word temporary, Caelus could see how Phainon's entire demeanor shifted, his posture slumping with visible disappointment. "Temporary?" he echoed, his voice tinged with genuine dismay. "So I won't get to see him again after this?"
Caelus turned to stare at the idol in sheer bewilderment. What was he even talking about?
"If all goes according to plan, you may be seeing quite a bit of him over the next six months," Aglaea clarified calmly. "That is, of course, provided you don't do anything to make him quit before his contract is finalized."
"Then make it right! Prolonged it to a whole year even!" Phainon insisted eagerly. A visible vein throbbed on Caelus' forehead. He slapped the idol's arm lightly, causing Phainon to let out a small, surprised sound.
"And who gave you the authority to decide the terms of my employment, mister?" Caelus finally managed to find his voice to protest this sudden negotiation over his career. He wasn't even confident he could endure the proposed six months, and the mere thought of a full year sent a chill down his spine.
Phainon stared at him with a look of pure astonishment, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. For a moment, Caelus worried he had gone too far and deeply offended the industry's top male idol, but he knew he had to stand his ground.
No matter how appealing the idea might be, his professional agreement was solely with Aglaea, and that did not include Phainon.
Yet, as the silence stretched on, Caelus began to feel a flicker of panic.
"Um, Mister Deliverer, sir—"
"Oh, your voice is even more captivating than I imagined," Phainon exclaimed, his tone brimming with genuine excitement.
…
What.
"What—"
In the midst of his shock, Phainon push through with his barrage of statements. "When you spoke just now... there's a certain richness to it. A low, resonant timbre that feels both steady and incredibly compelling." He said with pure, unadulterated joy. He then holds both of Caelus' hands in his own, clasping them inside his larger palm and infect him with his comforting warmth.
"And do you know how striking your eyes are—"
"Okay, stop right there."
Suddenly, a strong hand gripped the back of Phainon's collar and yanked him backward. The abrupt motion nearly freed Caelus's hand from the idol's grasp. Caelus glanced over to see a tall, broad-shouldered man with long, intricately braided blond hair. His imposing stature was enough to make even Phainon seem small in comparison. A striking red tattoo beneath his right eye immediately caught Caelus's attention—a bold detail that perfectly suited the man's formidable presence. He tugged on Phainon's collar again, tighter this time, causing the idol to cough as his airway was momentarily constricted.
"Not only did you give us a hard time, but you had to go and harass an innocent person?" the man scolded, his voice carrying a distinct tone of weary exasperation. Caelus glanced down and noticed the man was wearing the same black staff shirt as Castorice, complete with the word "STAFF" printed clearly across the front.
"Hello, Mydeimos."
"Good evening, Mydei."
The blond man—Mydei—gave a brief, acknowledging nod to their greetings. Then his gaze, the color of crimson gold, settled directly on Caelus. The photographer instinctively offered a respectful bow, a reflexive gesture of politeness. To his slight surprise, Mydei responded in kind, returning the gesture with a slight, formal bow of his own.
"My name is Caelus." He offered his name politely.
"Are you the photographer our seamstress chose as today's sacrifice?" Mydeimos asked, his tone dry. Caelus let out a soft chuckle before nodding in confirmation. "Don't forget to ask for proper compensation from her," the bodyguard added, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
Aglaea snapped her fan open with a sharp, elegant flick. "Oh, what do you take me for, Mydeimos?" she teased, though her eyes held a glint of amusement. The young man simply rolled his eyes in response. "Caelus, this is Mydeimos, Phainon's personal bodyguard and, when the situation demands it, his personal chef," she introduced, gesturing between the two men. "Mydeimos, this is Caelus from the Astral Press. He will be collaborating with us for the next six months."
"I haven't even signed the contract yet,"
"There's nothing wrong about being confident. It's already half the process, right?" Aglaea quoted Caelus' words against him.
"That sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen." Mydei interrupts their back-and-forth.
"Oh shush, Mydeimos."
"Yeah Mydei, stop flirting with my photographer."
The four other people besides the idol directed their eyes towards Phainon, with an equally confused expression on their faces.
"Okay, you're talking about an entirely different thing here, Deliverer."
Caelus tried to push Phainon away from again to no avail. "Who is your photographer now?" He asked with a frustrated tone.
"Technically, he is my photographer first,"
"Aglaea, don't start."
Caelus rubbed the tense spot between his eyebrows, trying to soothe the headache that was steadily building behind his eyes. Not only did he have the nation's top idol physically attached to his side, but now the idol's entire team was loudly debating who should have "custody" of him. Castorice was valiantly trying to mediate, her voice a calming murmur amidst the rising volume, but her efforts were doing little to quell the argument.
Is this how it's like for the next six months?
"Maybe I should've escaped when I had the chance..." The thought slipped out as a quiet mutter before Caelus even realized he was speaking aloud. The moment the words left his lips, he felt two strong hands grip his shoulders, spinning him around forcefully until he was face-to-face with the white-haired singer.
"Please don't leave!" Phainon's plea was sudden and dramatic, his hands now clutching Caelus's sleeves as if he were a child afraid of being abandoned. "Is it because of Mydei? It's definitely because of him, isn't it? I'll make sure you never have to see him again if he makes you uncomfortable!"
He remained utterly unflinching when the blond bodyguard delivered a sharp, open-handed slap to the back of his head. "You idiot," Mydei muttered, a low curse woven under his breath.
Aglaea's dry, observant voice cut through the commotion from behind Caelus. "If anything," she noted, her tone laced with pointed amusement, "the one making him uncomfortable is you, Phainon."
Phainon’s dramatic expression softened into something more sincere, though the intensity in his gaze never wavered. “You’re right,” he said, his voice lowering into a more intimate register. “Aglaea is, as always, correct. I apologize if my… enthusiasm has made you uncomfortable. That was never my intention.”
As he spoke, his grip on Caelus’s sleeve loosened, but his hand didn’t pull away. Instead, it slid slowly, deliberately, down Caelus’s arm in a smooth, caressing motion that sent a visible shiver through the photographer. His fingers trailed over Caelus’s wrist before gently but firmly taking hold of his hand.
Before Caelus could process the movement, Phainon was bringing his captured hand up. He turned it over and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the back of Caelus’s knuckles. When he looked up, his blue eyes had darkened, simmering with a flirty, knowing warmth.
“My apology is genuine,” Phainon murmured, his lips still close enough for Caelus to feel the whisper of his breath against his skin. “But you can’t blame me for being excited. After all,” he continued, his tone dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “I know I’m not the only one feeling that way, am I?”
The direct hit shattered Caelus’s composure. A furious blush exploded across his cheeks, heating his entire face. His heart hammered against his ribs in a frantic, erratic rhythm, so loud he was sure everyone in the room could hear it. He was utterly exposed—the secret interest he’d barely admitted to himself was now laid bare by the very object of that interest. He was embarrassed to be so transparent, but under the weight of Phainon’s captivating gaze, he found he couldn’t summon a single word of denial.
“I— That’s not— You can’t just—” Caelus stammered, his voice shaky and thin. He tried to pull his hand back, a feeble attempt to reclaim some personal space and dignity, but Phainon’s hold was effortlessly firm.
“I can,” Phainon countered, his smile turning winsome and persuasive. He took a small step closer, his presence overwhelming. “And I saw the way you looked at me through your lens. You weren’t just seeing a performer. You were seeing me. And you were fascinated.” He gave Caelus’s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
“So let’s satisfy that curiosity, shall we? Stay. Work with me. I promise it will be worth your while.”
Caelus felt his defenses crumbling like a sandcastle against the tide. The fight drained out of him, replaced by a flustered, breathless resignation. There was no denying the pull, the thrilling, terrifying allure of the man in front of him.
“…Fine,” Caelus finally breathed out, the word barely a whisper. He couldn’t bring himself to look directly at Phainon, instead staring fixedly at their joined hands. “I’ll… I’ll stay.”
Phainon’s smile widened into a brilliant, triumphant thing. He gave Caelus’s hand one last squeeze before finally, reluctantly, releasing it. “Excellent,” he said, his voice rich with satisfaction. “I look forward to our collaboration, Caelus.”
The air between them grew thick and charged, humming with a tension that was both exhilarating and unnerving. Though Phainon had released his hand, the ghost of his touch seemed to brand Caelus's skin, a lingering warmth that pulsed in time with his still-erratic heartbeat. A faint, smug smile played on Phainon's lips, his darkening eyes holding Caelus in a captive gaze that felt more intimate than any touch. Caelus felt flustered and completely caught, his heart still racing. He somehow felt the heaviness of the air between them, weighing down on his chest.
"Okay, stop right there."
The thick tension between them shattered at the sharp, clear sound of a single clap. Both Phainon and Caelus flinched, their intense bubble popping as they turned to find the source of the noise. It was Aglaea, her hands pressed together and a look of profound amusement gracing her features. Beside her, Castorice was watching them with wide, sparkling eyes, her face flushed a shade of pink that rivaled the deepest rose. Both of her hands were clasped over her mouth, barely containing her delighted surprise.
"If I had my knife with me, I could cut the thick tension between the two of you," Mydei remarked dryly, his comment sending a fresh wave of heat to Caelus's already flushed cheeks. "Now that that's settled," the bodyguard continued, his tone all business, "your team is still waiting for you back at the dressing room." With that, he once again grabbed a fistful of Phainon's collar and gave a firm, unceremonious tug, pulling the idol away from the flustered photographer.
"No, I haven't talked with Caelus that long yet!" Phainon cried out, his voice taking on the petulant tone of a child about to throw a tantrum.
"Are you being serious right now?" Mydei replied, his voice completely deadpan, clearly just wanting to get his job over with. Coincidentally, as he said this, he locked eyes not with Phainon, but with Caelus, directing his flat, unimpressed stare straight at the flustered photographer. He then looked away, only for his gaze to land on Aglaea, who was watching him with a deeply knowing look. And beside her, Castorice was staring at him with wide, pleading eyes, silently begging him to help with Phainon.
Caelus looked down at the scene before him: the white-haired idol was now clinging to one of his arms, whining softly like a large Samoyed puppy begging its owner not to leave for work. The only difference was, this "puppy" was a 6'2", broad-shouldered man whose career held the entire entertainment industry in its grasp, and whose monthly paycheck alone could probably fund Caelus's entire retirement.
He let out a long, weary sigh. Still, Caelus would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the attention just a little.
"Phainon," He called out to him, and not even a second later the white-haired man is already at his full attention. "Yes, Caelus?"
Caelus schooled his features into a mask of professional concern, letting a well-timed sigh escape his lips. I was really looking forward to working with you," he began, letting a hint of doubt color his tone. "But I'm having second thoughts right now. If you're the type to ditch your team and your responsibilities for... personal distractions, I'm not sure how productive our collaboration will be." He arched a brow, the challenge clear. "A professional partnership requires a professional attitude, don't you think?"
The effect was immediate and potent. Phainon released his arm as if burned, drawing himself up to his full height. The playful, pleading expression vanished, replaced by a startlingly sharp and serious demeanor. "You misunderstand," he stated, his voice losing its melodic lilt and gaining a firm, businesslike edge. "My dedication to my craft is absolute. What you see here is merely... a moment of enthusiasm." In the background, Mydei made a loud, retching sound, which Phainon pointedly ignored. "I assure you, when it comes to work, I am as professional as they come. You will have my complete and undivided attention during our sessions."
Caelus smiled in satisfaction, throwing a proud look towards both Aglaea—who is nodding her head in approval—and Mydei, who looked thoroughly impressed by him.
"However," He held up a finger. "For us to communicate effectively from now on..." In a fluid motion, he produced his phone. " May I have your contact ID? Purely for professional scheduling, of course." The "of course" was layered with unspoken promise.
Caelus freeze in hesitation. He did expect that Phainon might not go down that easily, but he didn't thought it would turn out like this. Glancing past the idol, he saw Mydei dragging a hand down his face in pure exasperation. Meanwhile, Phainon’s expression had shifted into an utterly devastating, pleading look that quickly overpowered Caelus’s dwindling resolve. As a final attempt to seek guidance, he looked toward Aglaea, who let out a quiet sigh from behind her fan. After a brief pause, she gave Caelus a subtle nod, silently reassuring him that it was alright to share his contact information.
With a resigned nod, Caelus pulled out his own device. The exchange was swift. The moment Phainon received the message, his entire face lit up with a joy so pure it was almost childlike. He stared at the screen, a wide, unreserved smile gracing his features as he carefully saved the contact.
"Thank you," he said, his voice soft but thrumming with excitement. He looked back at Caelus, his expression warm and sincere. "I am truly looking forward to building our working relationship. And please, don't hesitate to message me if you need anything at all. I'll be sure to text you the moment I'm free to discuss our plans."
"Alright now, back to work." Mydei dragged Phainon away with him by his collar, while the idol looks unbothered by the harsh treatment, focusing on waving his goodbye to Caelus instead.
"I'll miss you, Caelus!" The photographer slowly raised his hand to give back an awkward wave of his own.
The blond man abruptly halted and glanced back at Caelus before turning his attention to Aglaea. "Hey, seamstress," he called out, jerking his thumb toward the gray-haired photographer. "You'd better make sure you hold on to that high-quality babysitter." Caelus stared at him in complete bewilderment, while Aglaea responded with a light, knowing laugh.
"It appears Mydeimos has already given his approval," she remarked from behind her fan. Castorice nodded in agreement with her observation. "That was to be expected, especially when it concerns Caelus."
"Don't forget to check your phone!" Phainon's voice echoed down the hallway, followed by a distinct thump and a muffled yelp before the sounds faded completely. Caelus let out a long, weary sigh, thinking the ordeal was finally over—until he felt the distinct chill of two pairs of knowing eyes fixed on him. He realized with a sinking feeling that his day was far from over.
Aglaea snapped her fan closes and questioned with a winning smile on her face. "Shall we discuss the contract then?"
Now that everything had quieted down, a new dread settled in. How was he supposed to explain all of this to March? Keeping it from her was impossible—not only was she one of his closest friends, but they also worked at the same agency. Sooner or later, she’d find out he was arranging meetings between their team and Aglaea for a six-month contract.
Hey, March! Guess what? Not only did I attend the concert of your favorite idol that you failed to get, but I also landed an exclusive contract with Aglaea… who, by the way, works directly with Phainon.
He could already picture the fallout. There would be bloodshed. He made a mental note to leave his gaming accounts to Silver Wolf and entrust Dan Heng with executing the rest of his will.
Caelus released what felt like his hundredth weary sigh of the day. "Does that contract include babysitting duties?" he asked, his voice heavy with resignation.