The three idols freshened up their makeup and gathered themselves before heading to the studio.
Inside, the lighting was warm and inviting. The host was already waiting on stage, while dozens of lucky fans sat eagerly in the audience.
The interview followed a familiar format, covering their new song, training routines, and thoughts on the recording. Afterward came the fan interaction segment, where they answered questions drawn from fan submissions and participated in a few lighthearted games.
The atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful.
Sol stood quietly in a corner of the studio, watching over everything like a silent guardian.
His presence was noticeable, but most staff members and fans simply viewed him as the group's personal bodyguard. Although his appearance naturally attracted attention, no one paid it much mind.
During the game segment, one activity was called Blindfolded Feeding.
The three members were blindfolded while randomly selected fans took turns feeding them small pieces of cake. The idols then had to guess the flavor.
The audience loved the idea.
Hoshizuki Hikari, Sora Mirai, and Natsukawa Haruka put on their blindfolds and sat in their designated chairs.
The first several participants completed the game without issue, and the atmosphere remained lively.
Then the final fan was selected.
He appeared to be a shy young man who kept his head lowered as he stepped forward. Taking a piece of cake from a tray held by a staff member, he approached the stage.
Sol's attention immediately locked onto him.
Something was wrong.
A faint fluctuation of cold, unpleasant cursed energy lingered around the young man's fingertips.
The cursed energy wasn't attached to the cake itself. Instead, it coiled around his fingers, seemingly connected to a malicious cursed technique that required physical contact to activate.
The young man stopped in front of Hoshizuki Hikari and carefully raised the cake toward her.
Smiling beneath her blindfold, Hoshizuki Hikari opened her mouth.
Just as the cake was about to touch her lips, Sol acted.
His Telekinesis activated silently.
The cursed energy wrapped around the young man's fingertips disappeared instantly, bursting apart like a soap bubble.
The technique never had a chance to activate.
The young man noticed nothing.
He only felt a brief tingling sensation in his fingers and assumed it was static electricity.
Hoshizuki Hikari took a bite of the cake, chewed thoughtfully, and smiled.
"Strawberry?"
"Correct!" the host announced with a laugh.
The young man lowered his head and quietly returned to the audience.
Deep in his eyes, a flicker of confusion and unease appeared before quickly disappearing.
The game continued smoothly.
No further incidents occurred.
Once the interaction segment ended, the day's recording was finally complete.
Back in the dressing room, the three girls visibly relaxed.
Exhaustion was written across their faces, but so was relief.
"It's finally over..." Sora Mirai groaned as she collapsed onto the sofa.
"The fans were really enthusiastic today," Natsukawa Haruka said with a smile.
Hoshizuki Hikari rubbed her temples.
"Yeah. I'm just a little tired."
The manager entered the room.
"Great work, everyone. The car is already waiting at the back entrance. We're heading straight back to the apartment."
After gathering their belongings, the group left through a private backstage route, avoiding any reporters or lingering fans near the main entrance.
Once they settled into the minivan and left the studio behind, the atmosphere noticeably eased.
Outside, city lights drifted past the windows.
The tension of the day finally began to fade.
Hoshizuki Hikari hesitated before speaking.
"Today was really..."
"Good thing Sol was there," Sora Mirai interrupted, looking toward the front passenger seat.
Natsukawa Haruka nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. I always feel safer when Sol is around."
Sol glanced at them through the rearview mirror but didn't respond.
The vehicle continued steadily through the city.
As the silence settled in and exhaustion took hold, the three idols gradually drifted off to sleep.
Sol looked out the window.
Neon lights flickered across the glass as the city passed by beneath the haze of night.
The mastermind behind today's events had temporarily gone quiet.
But Sol knew this was only the beginning.
The curse users operating from the shadows, along with whatever stood behind them, would not abandon their objective so easily.
Their target was clearly Hoshizuki Hikari and the others.
Or perhaps something connected to them.
The string of accidents felt less like genuine attacks and more like tests. Someone was probing his capabilities, measuring his reactions, and determining how much they could accomplish while remaining hidden within ordinary society.
Boring tricks.
Whatever their objective was, it was destined to fail.
All he needed was patience.
Eventually, his opponents would expose another weakness.
Or launch a more direct attack.
The minivan entered the apartment building's underground parking garage.
Sol woke the sleeping trio.
"We're here. Go get some rest."
His voice carried clearly through the quiet garage.
Still half asleep, the three followed him into the elevator.
The apartment greeted them with familiar warmth and light.
After everything that had happened, it felt as though the day's troubles had been left outside the door.
Before heading to her room, Hoshizuki Hikari stopped and bowed slightly.
"Thank you for everything today, Sol."
Sora Mirai and Natsukawa Haruka nodded seriously as well.
Sol simply gave a slight nod.
"It's my job."
Back in his room, Sol stood by the window.
His perception expanded outward like a tide, covering several kilometers around the apartment complex.
Everything was quiet.
No malicious presence had followed them home.
After confirming that, he withdrew his senses and looked into the darkness beyond the glass.
The coming days would likely be far from peaceful.
He didn't mind.
If anything, it would give him a chance to stretch a little.
The following days remained busy.
Aside from recordings for Global New Star Voice, the group also attended photoshoots, radio interviews, and small fan events.
Sol accompanied them everywhere.
No obvious attacks occurred.
No suspicious accidents happened.
Yet the sensation of being watched never completely disappeared.
It had simply become more subtle.
More patient.
During that time, Gojo Satoru sent him a message asking how things were going.
His tone was as carefree as ever.
Sol replied with only two words.
Everything normal.
Meanwhile, Itadori and Megumi remained active in the One-Punch World group chat, joking about training sessions and strange missions, completely unaware of the situation developing around Sol.
That afternoon, after finishing a small outdoor fan event, the group was once again traveling back by car.
Sora Mirai had fallen asleep against the window.
Natsukawa Haruka sat nearby, watching dance videos through her headphones.
Hoshizuki Hikari stared quietly out the window at the passing cityscape.
Then she spoke.
Very softly.
"Sol."
Her voice was nearly drowned out by the engine.
Sol opened his eyes and looked toward her.
Hoshizuki Hikari didn't turn around.
Her gaze remained fixed outside.
The tension in her profile was unmistakable.
"Those weren't accidents, were they?"
The interior of the vehicle remained quiet.
Sora Mirai's steady breathing and the faint sound leaking from Natsukawa Haruka's headphones formed the only background noise.
Sol remained silent for a moment.
He didn't deny it.
"Someone has taken an interest in you," he said. "The reason may have nothing to do with you personally."
Hoshizuki Hikari's fingers tightened slightly in her lap. The reflection of passing lights flickered across her eyes as she continued looking out the window.