Chapter 17: Lovely Alice~

The next day.

The dressing room.

I sat before the mirror, looking at the face inside.

I hadn’t applied makeup yet, so it was still that ordinary, pale, and delicate-looking boy.

Three seconds later, I looked away and began applying makeup.

Foundation.

Eyeshadow.

Blush.

Lip gloss.

The same steps as yesterday.

The same techniques as yesterday.

And just like yesterday — covering the face of ‘Lin Zou’ layer by layer.

The person in the mirror began to change.

Forty minutes later.

Alice sat in the mirror, looking back at me.

I stood up and turned around halfway to check.

The bandages were wrapped in three layers.

Secured with special tape.

The swimsuit was a new style for today — still white, still lace, still backless, and still consisting of a pitifully small amount of fabric.

But I had to finish the shoot today.

Finish everything.

The sooner it was over, the sooner I would be free.

I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The photoshoot set was busier than yesterday.

Yesterday, there were only the photographer, an assistant, a lighting technician, and a few scattered people.

Today, there were — I scanned the room — seven or eight more.

Strange… why were there so many people?

“Alice!”

An assistant ran over, holding a new itinerary.

“There are a lot of people today, so it might be a bit chaotic. Please bear with us!”

“It’s fine.”

My voice was sweet and soft, just like yesterday.

There was no time to overthink it.

The schedule was the same as this morning: finish everything and leave as early as possible.

But my heart was already starting to tighten.

More people meant more eyes.

More eyes meant —

“Alice, let’s shoot the pool set first!”

I nodded and walked toward the pool.

***

Morning.

By the pool.

I stood in the water, which came up just past my knees.

The shutter clicked rapidly.

“Good — Alice, look to the left — yes! Just like that — great!”

I smiled.

But my peripheral vision kept scanning the surroundings.

Who were those people?

Staff members?

Or were they just here to watch the show?

A man had been standing over there watching for a long time.

What was he looking at?

Was there something wrong with me?

“Alice, change your pose — sit on the edge of the pool, put your legs in the water — yes!”

I sat down.

The water reached my thighs.

The swimsuit got wet and clung to my body.

I glanced down.

The shutter continued to click.

I continued to smile.

***

Noon.

Break time.

Wrapped in a bath towel, I sat in the rest area while the assistant handed me a lunch box.

“Alice, have something to eat first!”

“Thank you.”

I took the lunch box but didn’t pick up my chopsticks.

Because people nearby were watching.

They weren’t staff members, but several people I didn’t recognize — they looked like visitors or students.

They stood together, glancing over from time to time and whispering.

What were they saying?

Were they talking about me?

Or —

“Alice?”

The assistant leaned in.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

I looked down, opened the lunch box, and began to eat.

But I ate very slowly.

Very carefully.

I chewed every bite for a long time because when I was chewing, I didn’t have to talk, I didn’t have to smile, and I didn’t have to maintain that sweet, soft voice.

Then, I heard two female employees passing by, gushing —

“Wow… Alice eats just like a little bird~ So cute!!”

“Right? And she’s eating so seriously, it’s just too adorable~~~”

‘Wait — ?’

I struggled to maintain the expression on my face, pretending I hadn’t heard a thing.

***

Afternoon.

The beach set.

I lay on a beach towel, my hand resting on my forehead to block the blinding lights.

The sound of the shutter crashed down on me like a rainstorm.

“Great! Excellent! Your expression is fantastic, Alice! As expected, a Supernova is truly different!”

The Alice in the lens —

She lay on the beach towel, her hand over her forehead to block the blinding lights.

In this pose, her entire body was stretched out.

From her wrist to her shoulder, from her shoulder to her waist, and from her waist to her legs — a smooth line spread out across the white beach towel.

The white of the swimsuit and the white of the beach towel overlapped, making it hard to tell where she ended and the fabric began.

Only the color of her skin was different.

It was white, but not a deathly pale.

It was a white tinged with a hint of pink, the kind of white seen after being soaked in water and bathed in sunlight.

Her legs were slightly bent, one foot resting on the towel while the other stretched out naturally.

Her ankles were very slender, so thin that one might worry whether they could support the weight of her body.

Her toes were painted with light pink nail polish, the same shade as her lip gloss — the one she was endorsing.

She turned her head to the side and looked into the camera.

She smiled.

But in her mind, she was thinking about something else.

There seemed to be even more people now.

When I glanced out of the corner of my eye just now, there were at least fifteen.

Some had cameras, some had notebooks, and some just stood in the back watching.

Why did they come to watch?

Is a swimsuit photoshoot really that attractive?

Or could it be —

“Alice, can you change poses? Lie on your side, yes, look at the camera — perfect!”

I rolled over.

The bandages tightened uncomfortably.

I endured it and didn’t move.

The shutter continued to click.

***

Later that afternoon.

The waterside set.

I stood in the water, which again came up just past my knees.

The same location as yesterday, the same water as yesterday, and the same — shutter sounds.

But my mood was different.

Yesterday, it was ‘hurry up and finish so I can leave.’

Today, it was ‘when will this ever end.’

Although it was my own request to finish everything today, which extended the working hours, still —

There were too many people.

So many that I started to lose count.

Where were they standing?

Were they looking at me?

What were they looking at?

Was there anything wrong with me?

Did that last movement reveal anything at my chest?

“Alice, take two steps to the left — yes — good! Just like that — great!”

I walked.

Water splashed up, landing on my legs.

It was cold.

***

Evening.

The sunset silhouette again.

I stood by the water with my back to the camera, the light of the setting sun hitting me from the side.

The photographer shouted from a distance:

“Good — Alice, turn your head slightly to the left — yes! Just like that — great!”

I maintained the pose.

Only one thought remained in my mind:

It’s almost over.

Once this set is done, there are only a few left.

I can leave once we’re finished.

And I won’t have to come back ever again.

At least not for one or two years.

I didn’t know why there were so many people today.

Did everyone have the same idea as me?

Did they want to catch the spring gap?

Or was it simply because so many idols had debuted in the last few years, leading to larger crowds?

But regardless, it was finally almost over.

I could go back, unwrap the bandages, take a hot bath, and then —

“Alice, last shot — hold it — three, two, one — done!”

The shutter sounds stopped.

***

It was dark.

The shoot was over.

The staff began packing up the set, the lights were turned off one by one, and people left one after another.

Wrapped in a towel, I sat in the rest area and watched them leave.

The assistant ran over.

“Alice, thank you for your hard work today! We’ll retouch the photos and send them to you as soon as possible!”

“Okay, thank you for your hard work.”

My voice was soft and sweet.

But in my heart, I was already counting down.

Waiting for them to finish leaving.

Waiting for the set to be cleared.

Waiting for the moment when no one would notice —

I stood up and walked toward the dressing room.

But I didn’t go in.

Because there were still people tidying up inside.

I had to wait.

I stood in the corner, leaning against the wall, pretending to look at my phone.

My peripheral vision was fixed on the dressing room door.

Ten minutes later, the people cleaning came out and walked toward the exit.

I waited another five minutes.

Once I was sure no one was left.

I took a deep breath and walked toward the door.

My steps were light.

And fast.

Just as I reached the door —

“Alice!”

A voice came from behind me, very close.

I froze.

My feet felt nailed to the floor.

My heart skipped a beat.

The towel was still draped over me.

I hadn’t changed out of the swimsuit yet.

The bandages were still wrapped around me.

Slap!

That person suddenly grabbed my arm tightly and said, “I’ve finally caught you.”