John woke up earlier than usual the next morning, the faint glow of the Celebrity System interface pulsing in the air above his phone like a floating hologram only he could see.
Overnight, Despacito had gained another massive spike in streams.
+18,200 System Points Earned
Total Points: 65,447
A slow smile spread across his face.
He was getting close—very close—to unlocking a real combat ability.
But the system wasn't quiet today.
A soft chime echoed inside his mind, and a new notification appeared:
[System Alert: A Minor Marvel Event Approaches.]
[Your presence is recommended.]
John blinked.
"Wait… what event?"
But the system gave no answer. It never did when it didn't feel like it.
That was the scary part.
At School – Sabrina's Shyness Returns
By the time he reached class, Sabrina was already inside, headphones on, scribbling lyrics into her notebook.
But something was wrong.
She wasn't smiling today.
She wasn't humming.
Her foot tapped nervously, and she kept erasing lines until the page looked like a battlefield.
John approached slowly.
"Rough morning?" he asked.
She startled, nearly dropping her pencil.
"O–Oh, John! Um… yeah. Just trying to write something."
She forced a smile, but he recognized the look.
It was the same expression he had the first time he tried singing in front of a crowd in his old world:
fear.
"What's stopping you?" he asked.
Sabrina hesitated.
And then her voice softened into almost a whisper.
"…Everyone says I'm too quiet. Too small. That I won't stand out."
John felt something twist in his chest.
Of course.
Even in this universe, Sabrina Carpenter started out shy, scared to take the first step.
"Let me hear," he said gently.
Her eyes widened.
"I—I can't. Not now. Not here."
"Then after school?" he offered.
She bit her lip… then nodded.
Lunch – Rumors Start Spreading
Half the cafeteria buzzed with excited whispers.
"Did you hear that new artist?"
"The anonymous one?"
"Yeah! The dude who dropped that song—what was it called?"
John lowered his head, pretending not to listen, but he definitely listened.
"DESPACITO!" one kid shouted.
The entire table erupted.
"That song goes crazy!"
"Whoever made it is a genius."
"Why is he anonymous though?"
John hid a smirk behind his drink.
If only they knew.
After School – Sabrina's Voice
Sabrina led him to the small empty outdoor stage behind the school—the place drama students rehearsed after hours.
When she stepped up onto the wooden platform, her hands trembled.
Her voice cracked when she tried to speak.
"I don't know if I can do this…"
John approached her slowly.
"You can," he said.
"And you don't have to be perfect. Just sing one line."
One breath.
One second of silence.
Then… her voice broke through the air.
Soft.
Shy.
But beautiful.
It wasn't loud—but it didn't need to be.
It was pure, delicate, almost angelic.
John felt goosebumps run up his arms.
She stopped immediately after one line, covering her face.
"That was horrible—"
"No," John said quickly.
"It was real. It was you. And it was amazing."
She peeked at him through her fingers, cheeks bright pink.
"…Really?"
"Yeah," he said. "You're better than you think."
Sabrina let out a breath—half relief, half disbelief—then she smiled.
A small, shy smile, but a real one.
"I… want to get better," she whispered.
"Will you help me?"
John nodded without hesitation.
"Always."
System Notification
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Side Quest Complete: "Help the girl find her voice."]
Reward: +3,000 Points
New Feature Unlocked: Skill Sharing (Support Role).
Description: You may guide others to improve their artistic abilities. Improvements will cause small increases to your Fame EXP.]
John blinked in surprise.
So even helping Sabrina…
gave him power.
He looked at her again—she was still standing on the stage, holding her notebook to her chest, smiling shyly.
A warm feeling spread through him.
This universe might be dangerous.
But moments like this…
Moments like helping someone shine—
They made everything worth it.