SOMEHOW, IT'S HIM.

The first sound René heard every morning was not an alarm. It was bottles clinking. Somewhere behind the thin wooden walls of the bar, drunk men were already shouting before sunrise—laughing too loud, arguing too early, living like the night never ended. René opened her eyes slowly. The ceiling above her was cracked again. She sighed, pushed herself up from the small mattress in the corner of the bar, and tied her hair into a messy bun. "Another day," she muttered. Another day of serving people who would never remember her name. * (THE GHETTO BAR) The bar was already alive. "Two bottles of beer!" "Where is my change?!" "Bar girl! Hurry up!" René didn't respond. She never did. She just moved. Fast hands. Quiet steps. Empty expression. Granny Lily sat behind the counter, rubbing her tired eyes. "You didn't sleep again, did you?" the old woman asked. René forced a small smile. "There's no time for sleep, Granny." Before the woman could reply, the small TV mounted in the corner crackled louder. A news reporter appeared. "BREAKING NEWS: Raymond Rees has just been announced as the newest global brand ambassador for Mercedes Benz…" The bar shifted slightly. Even the noise lowered for a second. Then— "Switch that nonsense off!" someone shouted. "Rich people again!" "They don't care about us!" "Imagine earning millions and still stepping on poor people!" René reached for the remote without thinking. But her hand paused. Raymond Rees. She had never seen him in person. Only headlines. Only rumors. Only stories of a boy who lived in a world she could never enter. She lowered the volume instead of changing the channel. Just a little. Enough to hear. A man laughed bitterly nearby. "People like that only mix with their own kind." René said nothing. But something in her chest tightened. Not anger. Not sadness. Something worse. Awareness. * (REESEMON'S CASTLE — EARLIER THAT MORNING) Raymond Rees stepped out of his shower like he owned the air itself. Steam still clung to his skin as he walked across his massive room, flexing his shoulders lazily. A knock came. He didn't answer. The door opened anyway. A girl stepped in. Jacinta. Senator Carter's daughter. She didn't hesitate. She walked straight to him, grabbed his shirt, and kissed him like she had already won. Raymond didn't move. Not at first. Then he gently pulled away. "Wrong timing," he said calmly. Jacinta smiled anyway, climbing onto his bed like she belonged there. "I came here last night for you," she whispered. "You almost had me too." Raymond slipped on his shirt. "I don't 'almost' do anything." She sat up, reaching for him again. "Ray… I can do anything for you." He finally looked at her. Not with interest. Not with desire. Just control. "I don't want 'anything,'" he said. "And I don't want you." Silence. That was all he gave her before walking out. * (THE GHETTO — BACK TO RENÉ) "René!" Anna burst into the small space behind the bar, breathless and glowing like she had just stolen happiness. "I got them!" René blinked. "Got what?" Anna grabbed her shoulders. "Tickets. Darwin Shepherd's concert. We are going!" For a second, René didn't move. Then— "No way," she whispered. Anna screamed. René screamed louder. Customers turned around in annoyance as the two girls hugged like they had just escaped poverty for a moment. For René, maybe they had. Even if it was temporary. Even if it was just one night. (SRT STADIUM — NIGHT) The stadium felt like another world. Lights everywhere. Music vibrating through the ground. Forty thousand voices waiting for one man. Darwin Shepherd. "DARD! DARD! DARD!" René stood close to Anna, holding her wrist tightly. "This is insane…" she whispered. Anna laughed. "Welcome to your dream, baby." But dreams always had a price. Anna suddenly pushed through the crowd. "I'll be back! Don't move!" "Anna—wait!" But she was gone. René turned. And realized she was alone. * (BACKSTAGE ENTRY — MOMENTS LATER) Two men appeared beside her. "Blue dress?" one asked. René frowned. "I think you have the wrong person—" They didn't listen. A box was placed in her hands. "Follow us." "I said I'm not—" But they were already walking. Something felt wrong. Very wrong. Still, she followed. Because what else could she do? * (BACKSTAGE CORRIDOR) The hallway was dark. Too quiet for a place that held forty thousand people. The sound of the crowd outside roared like thunder. René's heartbeat rose. "Hello?" she called softly. No answer. The lights flickered off. Then— Silence. Her breath caught. She reached for a curtain, pushing it aside— * (THE STAGE) LIGHT. SOUND. SCREAMS. Forty thousand voices exploded at once. René froze. Her legs refused to move. She was standing in the middle of a stage. A stage she never asked for. A stage she didn't belong on. And beside her— A figure stepped forward from the shadows. Darwin Shepherd. The crowd went insane. But René couldn't hear them anymore. Because her mind had stopped working. Her knees gave out. And she fell. Right there. Under the brightest lights of her life. * (SRT STADIUM — NIGHT) The stadium went silent for half a second. Forty thousand people staring at one girl. On the big screen, her face filled the entire arena. René. She stood frozen in the middle of the stage like she had fallen into the wrong world. "Who is she…?" someone whispered. Security rushed in immediately. "Get her out!" "No!!! I didn't do anything!!! I also came for the show!!!" René struggled, panic rising in her chest. But before they could drag her away— A voice stopped everything. "Let her go." Darwin Shepherd stepped forward. The crowd erupted instantly. "DARWIN!!!" Security hesitated. Then released her immediately, bowing as they stepped back. René froze. His voice… was calmer than the chaos around them. "Don't be scared," he said softly. Then he looked at her. "What's your name?" The microphone picked it up. The stadium waited. Every eye was on her now. "…René," she said quietly, lowering her head. A scream came from somewhere in the crowd. "THAT'S MY FRIEND!!!" Anna screamed. Darwin smiled slightly. "René," he repeated, like testing it. Then he stepped closer. "Where are you from?" That question. René hated that question. She didn't answer. Instead, she stepped back. "I should leave now…" But Darwin raised his hand slightly. "Wait." She stopped. Something about his voice made it hard to move. "…can I ask you something?" She hesitated. "…yes." The noise of the stadium faded in her mind. He lowered his voice. Not into the microphone. Just for her. "Do you have a boyfriend?" René's eyes widened. "What?!" A small smile formed on his lips. "It's not what you think. I just want to sing for you." Before she could respond— He gently took her hand. And pulled her toward the front of the stage. The crowd exploded again. "Tonight," Darwin announced into the mic, "I'm singing for René." The lights dimmed. And the music began. * (RENÉ'S ROOM — LATER THAT NIGHT) "I'm going to die," René muttered, collapsing onto her bed. "You're not dying—you're trending!" Anna screamed beside her. "I didn't ask for this…" "Everyone is talking about you! Darwin sang for you!" René turned away. "It feels wrong…" "Wrong?" Anna blinked. "Girl, this is fame knocking." Anna grabbed her phone. "Let me make you an account." Within minutes— Notifications exploded. "René… people are following you like crazy!" But when Anna looked up— René had already fallen asleep. "Tch… lucky girl." * (X BAR — VIP SECTION) "Hi, Ray." Jacinta dropped her bag beside Raymond. He didn't look at her. "Why are you here?" "I went home. You weren't there." "Leave." She ignored him. "I saw Darwin's show. There was a girl who ran onto the stage—she embarrassed herself so badly." A pause. Raymond's expression darkened slightly. "Get out." "Ray—" "I said OUT." Silence. Jacinta stood up quickly and left without another word. * (REESEMON'S CASTLE) "Darwin is here," Mr. Rees said. Raymond stopped walking. Slowly turned. "…why?" Darwin stood a few steps away and extended his hand. "Hey, bro." Raymond didn't take it. "I already said I don't want anything to do with him." Without waiting for a response— He walked upstairs. * (RNX — PRIVATE OFFICE) "Everything is ready. You leave for Japan tomorrow." "Okay." Raymond leaned back in his chair. Staring at the ceiling. "…why is life so empty?" * (THE GHETTO — NEXT DAY) "René!!!" Anna rushed in excitedly. "She's at the store," Granny Lily said calmly. "Oh grandma! Hi!" "Hello child." "I'm back!" René dropped her bag. Anna grabbed her hands immediately. "You got something HUGE!" "What now?" "A brand DM'd you. Makeup company. Paid job." René blinked. "…me?" "Yes YOU!" Silence. Then— "When?" "Before Monday." René exhaled slowly. "…I'll try." Anna smiled. "I've got you." (LATER THAT DAY) "You got admitted." René froze. "…to where?" "STARS." Her heart dropped. "I didn't apply." "I think Darwin did." Silence. René stepped back slightly. "…why would he do that?" Her voice cracked. "I didn't even do anything for him…" Anna hugged her gently. "Don't cry…" But René still whispered— "…why me?"