Dance with Teen Heartthrob (1)

Elena Asimov didn't have any friends.

For a long time after entering college, very few people approached her, so she mostly kept to herself. Of course, Elena stood out wherever she went. At university, she wore glasses and dressed down to keep herself in the best mindset for studying, but even that couldn't hide her beauty. Her long, platinum-blonde hair possessed a magnetic charm that forced heads to turn, evoking the image of a beautiful, aloof princess living alone in a castle of ice built upon a snowy wasteland.

Drawn to her striking appearance, a brave few would occasionally try to strike up a conversation.

“M-Miss Asimov. Would you like to grab some lunch together?”

“...”

On one particularly sunny afternoon, Elena stopped in her tracks and remained silent for a moment. The female student who had gathered the courage to speak to her found herself momentarily spellbound by Elena's sheer beauty. She looked like an elegantly groomed, pure white cat—flawless pale skin, large, striking eyes, and a slightly cold, haughty expression. It carried an undeniable aura of intimidation.

'D-Did I make a mistake by talking to her?'

Her friends, waiting a short distance away, were silently cheering her on. Having grown up in an ordinary household, she was a massive fan of Elena's films—especially her latest hit, Fragments of You. With a "this time for sure" mindset, she had gathered her courage to approach her, but Elena's prolonged silence was now making her break out in a cold sweat.

What should she do? No, in the first place... did she even have the right to speak to her? She had only wanted to grab lunch because of Fragments of You, but if she brought up the movie now to keep the conversation going, would Elena find it annoying?

While Elena was simply taking her time to formulate a careful response, the girl was practically playing a full concerto of anxiety in her own head. Finally, Elena spoke.

“I'm sorry. I'm not particularly hungry right now.”

“Oh, gosh! I-I see! I'm so sorry for bothering you! You're an actress, so you must have a strict diet, and I just put you on the spot! Well then! H-Have a great day managing your diet!”

By the end, her voice had practically cracked in half. She blurted out a hasty farewell and scurried away. Elena watched the girl run back to her friends. After staring at them blankly for a moment, she turned and continued on her way.

Her expression remained as cool and unreadable as ever. The surrounding students, highly conscious of her presence, naturally parted to let her through.

...Everyone assumed Elena had coldly rejected the girl's invitation, but the truth was slightly different.

'Did I reject her too quickly? It's been so long since someone asked me to eat with them.'

The students at Stanford University viewed Elena as someone living in an entirely different dimension. During class discussions, their shared academic drive bridged the gap, but in daily life, her icy beauty and quiet demeanor made them hesitate to approach, terrified of being frozen out.

'It's not like I refused because I'm on an actress's diet...'

Of course, this distance wasn't something Elena wanted. Anyone who knew her even a little would know that Elena had lived a life completely devoid of anyone she could truly call a friend. Having been homeschooled since childhood due to her acting career, she had virtually no experience socializing with peers. As a result, she simply didn't know how to make friends, so she spent her days in solitude.

She told her mother, Sion, and others over the phone that she was "getting along just fine," but that was only half true.

After spending some time reading Dostoevsky at a nearby cafe and attending her afternoon classes, evening quickly arrived. Elena grabbed a sandwich for dinner at the campus cafeteria. Watching her eat gracefully in solitude, lost in thought, several students whispered among themselves.

“She's so beautiful...”

“Is that what a real actress looks like? Her everyday life looks like a movie scene.”

Of course, inside, Elena was thinking:

'I need to eat quickly, go back to the dorm, and finish my assignment.'

Stanford University required all freshmen to live in the dormitories to foster a sense of community and promote the idea of equality among students. Thus, Elena shared a double room with her roommate, Anne. Fortunately, they got along without any major issues.

Anne, who had come all the way from rural Nebraska, was a warm, friendly sociology major. With her charming freckles, she was deeply interested in social policy and urban issues. She was incredibly popular in the dorm because she frequently baked cookies in the communal kitchen to share with everyone. The only problem was that Elena couldn't recall ever having a proper personal conversation with Anne, either.

After finishing her sandwich, Elena returned to the dorm. As she entered the first floor, she had to pass by the lounge, which featured a large television. Immediately, whether due to her aura as an actress or her reputation as an ice princess, the girls gathered in the lounge grew tense, their attention snapping to her. Among them was Anne, Elena's roommate.

Should she say hello, or shouldn't she?

...Of course, she wanted to. But their relationship was still too awkward to just casually strike up a conversation. To them, Elena was like a haughty, elegant white cat—the type that would fiercely reject a stranger's touch. So, to avoid startling the cat as she slipped back to her room, the girls tried their best to look away.

“...”

But today was different. The white cat stopped right in front of the TV lounge, her eyes glued to the screen. Had she spotted a bug she wanted to catch?

The girls' attention, briefly distracted by Elena, shifted back to the screen, where The College Player was currently airing. Right on cue, Sion Lee appeared on screen, his breathtakingly handsome face on full display.

A series of disasters was currently unfolding for Ryan, who was on a date with Belle, his unrequited love. Dressed in an ill-fitting shirt and jacket, he tried his best to take charge, but the more the nerdy Ryan was conscious of the "date," the clumsier and more awkward he became. The screen showed the endearing, clumsy dynamic of the two as Ryan stumbled through one mistake after another.

Elena stood frozen, her eyes locked onto the screen like a predator spotting an intriguing prey. The girls in the lounge thought to themselves:

The white cat... is opening up to us...!

'What do we do?'

'Should we invite her over?'

'No, let's just quietly make some space on the couch.'

Following a quiet whisper from Anne—the closest thing to an "Elena expert" in the room—the girls subtly shifted closer together, clearing a spot on the sofa. Elena, who had been standing in the hallway watching the TV for a while, noticed the open spot. She walked over slowly and gingerly sat down on the very edge of the cushion.

'Yes!'

'Success!'

The girls rejoiced inwardly, feeling as if they had successfully lured a rare, skittish cat. Meanwhile, completely oblivious to their silent celebration, Elena focused entirely on the screen.

'He's still as brilliant as ever.'

She was genuinely marveling at Sion's acting. In comedy, timing often takes precedence over raw emotion. Because it was a sitcom, the performance required a certain level of calculated exaggeration. And Sion's performance was neither too over-the-top nor too subtle; it hit the absolute sweet spot.

Not long ago, she had received a phone call from her mother, Olga.

“I'd like you to make a cameo appearance in the final episode.”

Though phrased as a request, it was practically a command. Elena had agreed without a single complaint after Olga explained how beneficial it would be for her career. But because of that, she could no longer watch The College Player with the same casual enjoyment as before. Now, she found herself analyzing the secrets behind its massive ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠popularity, tracking the actors' movements, and wondering what kind of character she would play when she stepped onto that set.

In the show, Sion's character, Ryan, had become the driving force behind a brand-new narrative arc. Of course, Ryan wasn't the sole protagonist. The core of the sitcom was still the hilarious college lives of the main four, including Kyle and Nancy, which intertwined with various antics involving Mrs. Smirnova—played by her mother—and other supporting characters to form the main plot.

But narrative structure aside, it was the actor Sion Lee himself who was drawing in hordes of new viewers and forcing them to tune in live every week. Specifically, the stark contrast of Sion Lee's breathtakingly handsome face playing a fresh, adorable nerd created an irresistible gap moe that made it impossible for viewers not to fall in love with Ryan. The new audience drawn in by Sion eventually grew fond of the rest of the cast, even going back to watch reruns of the earlier seasons.

Then came the final scene of today's episode.

A slightly tipsy Belle leaned her head against Ryan's shoulder. As Ryan's face flushed bright red, Belle murmured that she was cold, prompting him to gently wrap his arm around her shoulder. Under the backdrop of a quiet winter night, the camera slowly pulled back, leaving the two of them in a picturesque frame.

“Awww...”

“Seriously, that is so sweet...”

“Ryan and Belle are definitely endgame. Who even cares about Max and Belle?”

The girls, completely swept up in the romance, squealed and chattered excitedly. While everyone else remained glued to the screen, Anne, sitting right next to Elena, cautiously glanced sideways. She caught Elena staring at the screen with an incredibly complex, unreadable expression.

Gasp.

When Anne let out a tiny gasp, the other girls noticed and quickly tried to act natural, though they couldn't entirely hide their excitement. Right now, another drama was unfolding in the Stanford girls' dorm. The tragic inner conflict of a girlfriend (not really) forced to watch her real-life boyfriend (not really) get all lovey-dovey with another woman on screen!

“...Um, Miss Asimov?”

Anne gathered her courage and gently slid over the box of freshly baked cookies. Elena stared at them, hesitating as she calculated her daily calorie intake. The entire room held its breath, waiting to see if the white cat would accept the offering.

After a tense moment, the cat cautiously reached out, took a chocolate chip cookie, and took a delicate, crunchy bite.

'Yeeeeeees!'

'We finally did it!'

'She ate Anne's cookie! Elena Asimov actually ate it!'

As silent cheers erupted across the room, Elena spoke primly.

“Ah, this is delicious.”

“You can have as many as you want! I bake them every single morning.”

“...Is that why you wake up so early every day?”

“Yeah, I just really love baking.”

Hearing this, Elena thought to herself:

'I see. That's wonderful.'

She didn't really know what else to say. Yet, everyone in the room was staring at her with sparkling, expectant eyes. With The College Player over, the commercials began to roll.

Realizing she was receiving an unusual amount of attention today, Elena desperately tried to turn the rusty, long-unused gears of her social skills. In a situation like this, what would that incredibly charismatic, socially adept person she knew say?

'You. Bake cookies for me every morning from now on.'

...No. Get out of my head, Sion Lee.

'Do you have any idea how much profit we could generate if we commercialized these cookies?'

...Mother, you get out too.

After agonizing internally, Elena finally managed to formulate the most optimal response.

“I hope... I can bake with you sometime, too.”

“...!”

“Y-Yeah! Anytime!”

“Do you have someone special you want to bake cookies for?”

As the other girls eagerly chimed in with excited questions, Elena felt a sudden wave of social anxiety. Like a cat with its fur slightly puffed up, she quickly stood up from the sofa.

“I'll... answer that next time. Thank you for the cookie.”

With ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a soft, fleeting smile, she slipped out of the lounge.

“...”

“...”

“...Wow.”

Elena Asimov actually smiled! The girls who witnessed that breathtaking smile felt their faces flush red. It was a shock akin to witnessing a rare, majestic white cat stretching lazily in the sun. After a moment of stunned silence, a chorus of regretful groans erupted among the girls.

“Hey! We were so close! Why did you have to ask her that?!”

“It's definitely Sion Lee! The person she wants to bake for...!”

“Oh my god, seriously?! Are they really dating?!”

“Didn't you see her face when Ryan and Belle were on screen?!”

“I saw it! It was that classic, longing look—like she was telling herself 'work is work,' but secretly wishing he was holding her instead! It was so romantic...!”

“Wow, I seriously feel like I just watched a whole romance movie live...”

Hiding just around the corner, Elena listened to the girls' excited chatter and let out an awkward, embarrassed smile. Still, she couldn't deny that thanks to Sion, she had managed to get a little closer to them.

'I wonder if he's working hard on his acting today, too.'

When she first heard about the cameo, she had hated the idea, and even now she wasn't particularly thrilled about appearing on a sitcom. But if it meant acting alongside Sion, who was always giving his absolute best, she didn't mind trying it out just once.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Hollywood, California.

The exclusive nightclub, Black Mamba, was packed to the brim. As one of the hottest spots in Hollywood, it was a playground where countless rising stars came and went. Because of the rumors that you were guaranteed to dance with a celebrity at least once every two days, hopeful crowds constantly swarmed the entrance.

However, the Black Mamba was far from a cheap establishment. Its door policy was notoriously strict, and even the slightest misstep inside would get you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠instantly thrown out by security. No matter how famous they claimed to be, even someone like Frederic Pederson had to wait in line like everyone else.

“Phew, finally. Time to hit the floor.”

Under the blinding, strobing lights, crowds of young Hollywood elites danced wildly, thoroughly intoxicated. Frederic threw himself into the crowd, dancing vigorously as if trying to shake off all the stress he had accumulated lately.

Yet, strangely enough, he didn't touch a single drop of alcohol. Because this was all part of the plan.

'How on earth is Sion Lee going to make his entrance here?'

Scanning the crowd while pretending to dance, Frederic eventually grew tired. He walked over to the bar and ordered a mineral water. The bartender stared at him as if he had lost his mind, but Frederic ignored the look, panting as he waited for a bottle of water that cost ten times its retail price.

At that exact moment, the music cut, and the DJ stepped up to the microphone.

The sudden arrival of a true superstar. The return of the legendary bad boy who had supposedly retired from the club scene.

Deafening, hysterical cheers erupted from the crowd, men and women alike. The crowd went absolutely wild, shaking the very foundations of the building, as Sion Lee stepped onto the stage wearing dark sunglasses. He grabbed the mic and roared:

With that single line, he completely dominated the room, instantly taking control of the dance floor. Standing below the stage, Frederic stared up at him, completely frozen as the water he had just sipped dribbled down his chin. He looked like a man who had suddenly forgotten the basic mechanics of swallowing.

'Th-This is insane!'

In his half-panicked mind, a conversation he had shared with Sion a few days ago began to play out like a scene from a sitcom.

'I was wrong. I won't mess around again. I'll bow my head in submission, so please, anything but that...'

With that final, desperate thought, his escapist flashback came to an end. Frederic began to feel more nervous than he had on his very first day of filming the sitcom.

From this moment on, in the middle of this roaring, packed club, he had to pick a public fight with Sion Lee.