REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 76: Long time no see.

Elara pushed open the doors of the restaurant and stepped inside. The familiar sound of voices and clinking plates greeted her right away.

She walked straight to the counter, said a quick "Good evening" to the staff, and headed to the small locker room behind it. She took her apron from the wooden peg, tied it around her waist, and stepped back out to start her shift.

She had barely begun when a loud voice rang out from the back.

The eldest staff member had just came out of the manager’s office. She squinted at her and raising a hand to shield her eyes. "Whoa, it’s too bright in here! Is the stove acting up again, or is it just our ’Sun That Won’t Set’ starting her shift? Someone get me some shades before I go blind!" she exclaimed while a few of the other staff laughed and turned to look at Elara.

"It’s true though, our little star is shining too much these days." one of them teased.

Another added with a thoughtful look, "We should start charging people just to look at her. Or what do you guys think."

Elara gave them a small smile. She knew they were reacting to a line from her song, so they must have listened to it.

She didn’t say much and quickly got to work, moving between the tables with Mia beside her.

At one point Mia leaned closer to her and whispered, "You’re becoming famous now, don’t forget us small singers," then she grinned and walked off before Elara could reply. Elara just shook her head and kept serving.

When the rush finally slowed down, Elara leaned against the cabinets taking a few deep breaths. Her hands were still warm from carrying hot plates.

Before she could rest for long, a group of staff walked over to her together. Mia quickly stepped in front of her, holding up a menu like a shield and saying, "Stop right there. Our sun is currently recharging, please come back later."

One of them laughed and pushed the menu aside. "Move, Mia, we’re not here for you." She looked at Elara with wide eyes. "I heard from Jeni that your song hit five thousand sales in just twenty-four hours. Is that really true?"

"That’s too fast, you just released it! You didn’t even tell us properly."

Elara stood there, smiling softly at them. She didn’t know what to say and could only hope her smile didn’t look too awkward.

Jeni turned to her and chuckled softly. "I swear I heard the customer at table three humming your song just now." She cleared her throat and repeated the line in a playful voice..

"I’ve outrunned the shadows... I’m the sun that won’t set." She sighed dramatically and added, "If only he knew the same sun is the one bringing his food. I wonder if he’ll drop his spoon or start asking for autographs."

The others laughed again. Elara lowered her gaze a little, a faint smile still on her lips.

The rest of the night passed in the same noisy way. When the restaurant had finally emptied, Elara stayed behind to help with the cleaning as usual. After everything was done, she said good night to the team and stepped out onto the road.

She walked slowly by the roadside, taking out her phone and checking it from time to time. As expected, the students had posted many new videos. She opened one and scrolled through the comments until one caught her attention.

"I was going to give up on my exams tonight, but this song made me feel like I could try one more..."

Elara paused her fingers still on the screen.

That was when an unfamiliar voice suddenly came from behind her. "Wait."

Elara’s hand lowered slowly wondering who it was. For a second, she didn’t turn around. Then she did.

Three men stood a bit distance behind her. Her eyes moved over them before stopping on the one in the middle. The moment she saw his face, her expression changed. Her gaze turned cold immediately.

The man smiled and looked straight at her.

"Long time no see," he said.

–

Tonio couldn’t take it anymore. The whole situation had stretched far beyond what his patience could handle, so he suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up.

He waved to the only waiter still around, paid the bill quickly without even checking it, and turned to leave immediately.

He had barely taken ten steps outside the restaurant when he heard the click-clack of the eight inch heels behind him. He didn’t turn around, and instead quickened his pace.

But Lulu was not someone who could be outrun that easily.

When he passed under a streetlight, he finally gave up and stopped. He turned around with a tired breath, only to freeze the next second his eyes landed on her properly for the first time that night.

The restaurant was dim and he had not paid much attention before. But now under the bright light, everything was very clear.

He almost shrieked.

"Good heavens... what is that on your face?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Lulu blinked at him, her lashes fluttering. That only made it worse. Her eyelashes were so long and thick that they looked like two black spiders clinging to her eyelids. Her makeup was too heavy, and everything about her felt... exaggerated.

He wondered if she had always looked like this or he had just gain eyesight today.

Lulu walked closer and reached out to grab his arm. "You can’t just leave like that. After everything we had." she said, her voice full of complaint.

Tonio immediately pulled his arm free. "Everything we had?" he repeated, giving a short laugh. "That was months ago. And let’s be clear, we didn’t have anything. We were just having fun. And the fun is over."

She stared at him, her lashes fluttering again in what she probably thought was a charming way. "But I love you," she said, her voice dropping into a pitiful tone.

Tonio stared at her for a moment, then let out a long sigh. Without waiting for any more words from her, he turned and started walking toward his car which was parked a short distance ahead.

"So stubborn," he muttered under his breath.

He reached the car, unlocked it, and pulled the door open, ready to get in and escape her. But just as he was about to step inside, something in the distance caught his eye.

He paused.

There were figures standing further down the road.

Tonio narrowed his eyes, as he stared in that direction...