It is often said that plans can never keep up with changes, but most of the time, people have no plan at all. Changes, however, are real and substantial, always popping out from some corner to assert their presence.
Lin knew little about Elysia past. To be precise, her file—which anyone could tell was entirely fabricated—was all she was willing to show others.
Elysia had joined the Fire Moth through an unofficial process; this was something Mobius had told Lin. Elysia had stolen Mobius badge and entered through the back door, so there were no records of her recruitment process.
Before that, everything was a mystery.
Her place of birth, her experiences, and even whether the name "Elysia" was real or fake could not be verified. Lin never expected that he would encounter Elysia in the Far East at this point in time.
...Should he say that if the Honkai hadn't occurred, she would have come to the Far East at this time anyway?
"I've finally met a fan in real life!" Her mood was exuberant and joyful. There was a cute flush on her flawless white cheeks as she smiled happily at Lin. "Do you need a handshake? An autograph? Or maybe a hug? Though, I'm sorry I can't treat you to dinner—I haven't even sorted out my own dinner yet. Funds have been tight lately~"
Elysia playfully stuck out her tongue at him.
"You..."
Lin mind was in a bit of a whirl. He knew the girl in front of him wasn't the Elysia he knew, yet her personality was identical. Every frown and smile was exactly the same; Lin couldn't even find a single difference.
But... this isElysia, isn't it?
When they first met after the end of the Second Honkai, she was already like this. Even though nearly ten years had passed, time had left no mark on her.
She seemed frozen at a certain point in time, never to change again.
"Your name is Elysia. Your favorite color is pink. Your hobbies are flowers, sweets, tokusatsu shows, and editing books. Your height is 163cm, your birthday is November 11th, and your weight is 5—"
"Wait, wait, wait a minute!"
Lin mouth was covered by a pair of soft, fair hands. Elysia blinked at him, her eyes filled with both embarrassment and curiosity.
"You know far too much detail. Are you stalking me? Even if you're a fan, that's not good, you know. But then again, it's my fault for being too perfect. My sin, my sin..."
Elysia ended her sentence with a couple of self-satisfied, silly giggles.
At least regarding her narcissism, Lin could not have mistaken the person.
...
"Ugh... after eating dinner today, I'll have to survive on instant noodles every day."
Elysia rested her soft face on the smooth surface of the table. She looked at the balance on her phone and sighed with teary eyes.
Sitting opposite her, Lin stared at her blankly, his thoughts unknown.
"Hmm..."
After a while, Elysia raised her head and quirked an eyebrow suspiciously at Lin. Then...
"Heave-ho!"
With a flick of her hand, she flipped off Lin hood.
A head of silver hair was exposed under the lights.
"Eh?" After seeing the face beneath the hood, Elysia dazed for a few seconds. Then, she narrowed her eyes. "How cute~ Hehe, then this meal wasn't a waste of money~"
"..."
"Don't be such a mute. Say something."
"...What should I say?"
"Like, what's your name? You have such a super cute face, yet you're so cold... though that actually makes it more interesting." Elysia propped her chin on one hand and stuck the straw of the drink the waiter had brought into her mouth, smiling playfully. "You've dug up all my information, yet I don't even know your name. That's very unfair~"
Is she fishing for information?
Thinking back to their first meeting, Elysia already knew everything about him. She must have fished for info from many people and secretly looked up his data in the archives.
"My name is Lin."
"Lin? That's a nice name." Elysia toyed with the fork in her hand, spinning it deftly with her fingers while her eyes, magnificent as crystals, remained fixed on Lin. "So, my dear Lin, why did you investigate me? I'm just a rookie streamer."
A rookie... streamer?
Only then did Lin realize what she meant by "fan" earlier.
Regardless of which Elysia it was, the trait of being nonchalant on the surface but sensitive and meticulous inside remained unchanged. She seemed to have sensed that Lin was unusual—not just a fanatical follower.
After all, what fanatical fan could remain so calm and expressionless when meeting their idol face-to-face?
So, how should Lin respond?
"I..."
Lin was about to speak, but the words died at his lips. He glanced at this Elysia attire.
In Lin memory, Elysia was indeed incomparably beautiful. Even Lin, who wasn't sensitive to looks, couldn't say her appearance was anything less than extraordinary. She was also a person who loved dressing up; even her uniforms were modified to be form-fitting to highlight her figure.
This Elysia also had fluffy, slightly curled pink hair, and her side bangs and ponytail were identical. Setting everything else aside, the corners of her eyes—always holding a hint of a heartwarming smile—were beautiful, moving, and charming to the extreme. However, her clothes were a plain casual set: a hoodie, long pants, and sneakers.
Lin remembered that Elysia never dressed like this. She didn't like hooded clothes because she wanted her long hair to drape behind her head.
Just now she had said, "I'm just a rookie streamer," and showed extreme excitement upon discovering Lin was a fan.
"I believe I can collaborate with you. Your foundation is excellent; you have the potential to become an overnight sensation." Lin spoke rapidly, leaving Elysia staring at him blankly.
"An 'overnight' sensation?" Elysia blinked.
"...I didn't mean it like that."
"But it sounds like that's exactly what you meant."
Truth be told, similar phrases existed in the streaming world, but Lin truly hadn't intended that connotation.
"I will strategize for you. I'll handle your image, streaming activities, and scripts. I can help you quickly become a top-tier streamer, and I can handle platform contracts and revenue shares for you as well."
Lin mind was sharp. He summarized all the attractive points in a single sentence, then seriously extended his hand to Elysia: "Is it a deal?"
"Meaning... a fan club leader combined with a manager?"
"Yes."
"...Then how much will it cost to hire you?"
"The price of this meal."
"Deal."
They shook hands.
The meal ended quickly. The reason was that for the first time in the Far East, Elysia had a friend of a similar age, one who would even help her with her streaming career. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to sleep from excitement when she got back today.
As Lin stood up to walk out of the restaurant, he tried to pull up his hood, but Elysia caught his hand. "Hee-hee, don't hide away when you're so pretty~"
"Lin, when will you be able to take off your helmet?"
He stopped his pace and looked back at an empty seat.