The charming blond barista

chapter 2: The Star Destroyer.

Hikaru Kamiki felt insane, or at least that's what he believed. Abused at the age of 12, he had become a victim of the cruel entertainment industry. His sanity hung by a thread, constantly fighting not to succumb to madness.

The only thing he enjoyed doing was acting, leaving behind his entire being and transforming into someone entirely different. Many producers hailed him as a genius for his acting prowess. Acting was his only means of escaping reality.

An actor's worth was determined by how much of oneself they were willing to erase to become someone else-or at least that's how he saw it. Hikaru the model, Hikaru the actor, Hikaru the youngest prodigy-all titles magazines used for him.

Every aspiring actor knew who he was; everyone wanted to be the great actor, Hikaru. But no one wanted to be Hikaru Kamiki, the broken child inside. Nightmares became more frequent, leading him to the point of taking pills to sleep better.

Airi Himekaya, the woman who not only abused him but also became pregnant with his illegitimate child. The woman who shattered him. That witch not only went unpunished but also managed to pass off her bastard as her husband's son.

She was the cause of all this; why was she doing everything she did? The darkness of the night enveloped everything around him. He walked toward a small telephone booth. The only light on the street came from a lighthouse above the booth, marking his destination. His entire outfit prevented recognition; he took every possible measure.

His coat covered his entire body, along with a mask and a woolen hat-his only attire. He entered the booth. From his pocket, he pulled out a paper with a series of numbers inscribed on it. He pulled every string to get it.

Only prayer remained for him to do the rest. He dialed the series of numbers, each time slower. Doubt crept into his gaze. "Do I really want this?" As he uttered these words, a mountain of painful memories rushed over him.

Nothing had been easy since he was born. An orphaned child who only wanted a happy family. Instead, a production company took an interest in him. A life that should have been happy and carefree was replaced by grueling modeling and acting schedules.

Lala Lai Theater was the only place where he could feel some kind of solace. There, people treated him for what he was-a child. It helped that most actors were between 11 and 13 years old. There, he met a girl.

He had to admit she caught his attention the moment he saw her. Unlike the other girls in the group, she wasn't adorned with makeup and expensive clothes. She seemed like a peasant, though he wasn't in a position to judge at that moment; his own manager chose his clothes for events.

Unlike his other peers, she was distant and had no intention of socializing. What stood out the most was her purple hair, flowing freely, even when unkempt, and her eyes of the same color, cold and distant.

It was intriguing to him. And unknowingly, they began talking like lifelong friends. The previously unkempt hair not only got combed but also her entire being changed for the better.

She seemed like an entirely different person than when he first met her. He wondered if this sudden change was because of him. The mere idea brought a flood of emotions. But not everything was happiness.

After a few months working for Lala Lai, she appeared: Airi Himekaya, his abuser. It was like starting from scratch, becoming an empty shell of who he once was. When he tried to speak out, she threatened to cut everything at the root, ruining his reputation to the point where no one else would hire him.

He was an inexperienced young man who didn't understand how the world worked, and unfortunately, he fell for her deceit. Now, looking back, even if he exposed her, there was no way he, with little influence, could do anything against such a renowned actress like Airi Himekaya.