Receiving four chocotes on Valentine's Day was undoubtedly the peak of Ren's life.

  Though three of them were just thank-you chocotes, chocote was still chocote.

  Of course, beyond their seal meaning, the chocotes themselves tasted quite good.

  Mouri's chocote had a banced fvor, slightly sweet with a hint of bitterness. Not overly sweet, but well-banced.

  Suzuki's chocote, oher hand, was just sweet. Pure, unfiltered sweetness.

  Shinomiya's chocote was rather pin, likely homemade.

  Then there was Yoko's chocote. Her craftsmanship wasn't bad at all, she had adjusted the sweetness perfectly. It was the sed best after Mouri's.

  Ding-dong!

  Just as Ren was sampling the chocotes, the doorbell rang.

  He already knew who it was.

  Opening the door, he was greeted by the familiar sight of Okino Yoko, his -door neighbor.

  Dressed casually, she held a rge casserole dish, her hands protected by insuted gloves.

  "Don't say anythi. Let's talk inside."

  Ren silently stepped aside, allowio enter.

  With a smile, Yoko walked in and pced the casserole oable.

  Theuro look at him.

  "I made some potato stew today. Let's eat together."

  "Do celebrities really have this much free time?"

  "Of course not."

  Yoko shook her head with a wry smile.

  "Artists are usually very busy."

  "Rushing from one job to the , barely getting any sleep… Once you bee famous, your schedule only gets more packed."

  That much, Ren already knew.

  Which recisely why he found it strange.

  "You finally have a break, and you're still spending your free time cooking?"

  "Cooking helps me relieve stress."

  Yoko chuckled.

  "Being an artist is exhausting. There are times when I barely have a moment to myself, and I end up eating nothing but takeout. It's ly healthy."

  "So whenever I get a break, I like to cook for myself."

  "Besides, spending time i doesn't tire me out. If anything, it helps me unwind."

  It was an unusual way to relieve stress.

  But everyone had their own g meisms.

  Ren found it a little odd, but given her profession, it made sense.

  If going outside was inve for a celebrity, then finding a way to depress at home was reasonable.

  "Don't artists o watch their weight?"

  "They do."

  At the mention of weight trol, Okino Yoko sighed.

  "It was really tough in the beginning."

  "To stay in shape, I had to ost sweets."

  Thinking back th school days, the dietary restris had been painful.

  "But once you get used to it, it's not so bad."

  "Of course, if I do eat something high in calories, I make sure to exercise afterwards."

  "I'll go grab the rice, let's talk while we eat."

  Without giving him a ce to refuse, she left the apartment and quickly returned with bowls of rid chopsticks.

  The two sat across from each other at the table.

  "Where were we?"

  "You were saying that being an artist is difficult, and you have to trol your diet."

  "ht. And those variety shows be a nightmare."

  Variety shows…

  Ren didn't watch them much.

  But he had seey of clips online.

  Ses where celebrities were put through absurd, borderline inhumaunts in the name of eai.

  "Yeah, some variety shows treat celebrities like props for spstiedy."

  "You've seeoo?"

  "Yeah."

  A hint of relief crossed Okino Yoko's face.

  "Thankfully, I haven't been forced to do those kinds of shows yet."

  "For now, I'm still sidered a popur artist, so my agency doesn't want me appearing on those programs."

  "For now, I just have to foaintaining a good public image."

  "But it's exhausting."

  She paused, looking down at her bowl of rice.

  "Yeah… it really is exhausting…"

  "But it's fine."

  Suddenly, she perked up, fshing a cheerful peace sign.

  "Yoko, forever full of energy, here t smiles to the world!"

  Her smile was bright.

  It was genuine.

  It wasn't forced.

  There were very few idols who actually became idols for the sake of their fans.

  "In your quest t smiles to others, where's your own smile, Miss Celebrity?"

  Ren's voice was calm.

  Yoko's expression froze.

  The brightness faded.

  She sighed and slumped forward, resting her head oable.

  "I mean… I want to say that making others smile makes me happy…"

  "But it's really exhausting."

  "Sometimes I get so tired I 't smile."

  That was a fession filled with pure exhaustion.

  But Ren wasn't surprised.

  He quietly activated Vision, allowing him to see her spiritual state.

  The aura surrounding Yoko's astral body was a deep, mencholic shade.

  If she tinued like this for too long, she'd end up with serious mental health issues.

  No matter how eic she seemed, everyone had a breaking point.

  "Sit up."

  Re his chopsticks down, thely pulled Yoko up from the table and guided her to the sofa.

  "Huh?"

  "I know you have a lot to say, but just wait a moment."

  Yoko did have a lot to say—

  But for now, she stayed quiet, leaning her head against Ren's p.

  Ren didn't speak either.

  He simply pced his hand on her forehead.

  A faint, imperceptible mist dissipated from his fiips.

  His touch was light, but infused with spirituality and gray fog, gently guiding Yoko's astral body, easing her mental burden.

  "Hmm~"

  A soft sigh escaped her lips.

  A heavy drowsiness settled over her.

  Her eyelids drooped.

  She couldn't fight it.

  Within moments, Yoko drifted into a deep sleep.

  As she slept, her aura began to shift.

  The darkness faded.

  The mencholy receded.

  The color of her astral body gradually lighteurning from a deep shade to a much warmer e.

  Her mind was finally at peace.

  …However, with her sleeping on his p, Ren himself was now stu pce.