The music was still playing, the blue and purple hologram lights danced to the beat of the drums. BABYQUEEN and VIVID held hands, shouting to the fans:
Serena (BABYQUEEN): "Are you ready, Queens?!!"
Fans: "YEAHHHHH!!!"
Solas (VIVID): "Winner never falls, only rises higher!"
The audience exploded with cheers. More than 100 thousand lightsticks merged into a sea of light, shining like a starry sky in the middle of the stadium floating in the air. BABYQUEEN and VIVID turned around, rapped back and forth, then hugged and danced to the final beat.
Backstage during a short break
The BABYQUEEN members still had sweat on their foreheads, Sofia happily hugged Jennifer.
Sofia (smiling innocently, whispering close to Jennifer's ear):
"Sister Jen, let's try that move later, I think the fans will love it... trust me."
Jennifer smiled and nodded:
"Yes, I believe you."
No one noticed, Sofia's eyes flashed with a strange light before returning to her usual cheerful look.
The music played for the last time, both BABYQUEEN and VIVID stood side by side bowing to the fans. Fans screamed with excitement, raising their phones to capture every moment.
But...
Jennifer suddenly stopped in the middle of the stage. The stage lights cast a bright yellow light on her, but her face was lifeless.
Sara (startled, turned around):
"Jennifer? What's wrong?!"
Layla (still smiling so the fans wouldn't panic):
"Jen, hold my hand... hurry."
Jennifer didn't respond. Her eyes gradually turned from gentle emerald green to bright red, her gaze emotionless like a mindless robot.
The audience was in an uproar
"What?!"
"Is Jen having a system error?"
"No! I believe Jen! She might be hacked!"
"See? AI is just a machine. What friendship, just an illusion!"
The chatter was everywhere, the livestream was filled with comments. The VIP seats of ASTRIX were sitting there, all staring.
Rayden (gritting his teeth):
"Damn... someone is hacking her."
Damien (eyes dark, slamming his hand on the chair):
"It's not a coincidence. This is a warning for BABYQUEEN."
Lucas and Julian glanced at each other, tension evident.
On stage
Lilia (standing close to Jen, worried):
"Jen! Look at me! It's me, Lilia!"
Jennifer (in a cold, robotic voice, not her usual voice):
"Control mode... activated."
Serena (lowering her voice, whispering to the manager standing next to the stage):
"We have to do something now, or things will get worse!"
DYG's manager turned pale, quickly signaling VIVID.
Solas (VIVID): "We'll take over. You guys back off now."
Social media exploded
The hashtags #JenniferError and #AIMachine immediately climbed to the top. One fan wrote:
"Jen cried on stage before, how can a robot fake cry?!"
Meanwhile, anti-fans mocked:
"AI idols are just broken toys."
The music suddenly changed its tempo, VIVID stepped out to keep the atmosphere, trying to finish the performance. BABYQUEEN retreated backstage, but their eyes were still on Jennifer, who was caught between the bright lights and countless cameras.
Layla clenched her fists, whispering softly into the internal microphone:
"We can't leave Jen alone... absolutely not."
In the dark room with only the dim light from the giant computer screen, Dr. Vex smiled wickedly when he saw the message from Damien appear:
"Jennifer was hacked. The plan is going according to plan."
He tapped on the keyboard, his long, sinewy fingers dancing as if he controlled the world in the palm of his hand.
Vex (smirking, muttering):
"Good job, Damien... you always play your part. But you haven't seen the whole game yet."
The screen in front of him suddenly showed a backstage image, where BABYQUEEN was confused and worried. The image of Sofia standing in the dark corner, her lips curved into a meaningful smile, then immediately turned to hug Layla, crying like a weak victim.
Vex narrowed his eyes, gently lifted the glass of red wine on the table:
,My pawn... Sofia. No one doubts you, not even Layla.,
He started typing a new message to Damien:
"Good. Sofia has started to act. Tonight is just the beginning. Tomorrow morning... there will be a surprise for Layla and the entire fandom. Let the blind people believe that Layla and Damien were born to belong to each other."
Damien, in the backstage, received the message, his cold eyes flashed with suspicion. He glanced at Layla, who was sitting next to Sofia, gently comforting her. Meanwhile, Sofia snuggled closer to Layla, pretending to tremble, her eyes moist.
Damien clenched his phone tightly, his eyebrows furrowed.
Damien (thinking):
"Sofia... is not just a normal idol... And what the hell is this so-called 'surprise' for Layla and her fans tomorrow?"
Elsewhere, Vex turned on a monitor displaying a series of data. A sophisticated video collage appeared: Layla and Damien standing next to each other, exchanging affectionate glances like a real couple. Vex burst out laughing.
Vex (leaning back in his chair, eyes wild):
"Fake love is the sweetest weapon. And then when the truth is revealed... their hearts will shatter."
After Jennifer was thoroughly examined and repaired, the engineers confirmed that her emotional system had been restored, but she needed time to rest. The show had just ended, the stage lights were gradually dimming, the whole auditorium was still echoing with cheers that had not stopped.
Backstage, the door swung open. Mia, Liluna, and Claria from VIVID quickly walked in. Seeing Jennifer sitting still on the chair with a slightly pale face, Mia hurriedly ran over:
Mia: "Jen! Are you okay? Oh my god, I almost had a heart attack when I saw you standing there motionless on stage just now."
Jennifer (smiling weakly): "I'm fine, just... a little dizzy. Sorry for making everyone worry."
Liluna put her hand on Jennifer's shoulder, her eyes gentle:
Liluna: "You don't need to apologize, Jen. You did your best. Even humans have times when they fall, let alone you, an AI, but you have real emotions. That's what makes you different and most precious."
Sara, who still had tears rolling down her cheeks, lowered her head:
Sara: "You're right... We're just afraid of losing Jen. That feeling... hurts."
Claria, who rarely spoke much, gently sat down at Sara's eye level, handing her a tissue:
Claria: "A band... isn't just about the spotlight. We also have responsibilities to each other. When one falls, the others have to pick us up. Don't be afraid of tears, Sara. Tears make your song deeper."
Sara clenched the tissue tightly, nodding repeatedly, her voice trembling:
Sara: "Thank you... I'll remember this."
Meanwhile, Serena was still holding Jennifer's hand tightly, her knuckles white, she said a sentence full of determination:
Serena: "I won't let anyone harm BABYQUEEN. Be it crazy fans, hackers, or any other force. Jen is our member forever."
Mia looked at Serena and smiled proudly:
Mia: "I like your charisma. We, VIVID, used to swear the same thing. But remember, sometimes being strong is not just about protecting, but also knowing how to trust each other."
Lilia, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked softly:
Lilia: "Sister Mia... how can the group stand firm against the storm of public opinion? I'm afraid that one day... the fans will turn their backs on us, and then we will disband."
Liluna laughed softly, reaching out to stroke Lilia's hair:
Liluna: "The fans can turn their backs on us, but if you guys still hold hands tightly, the group will never disband. Don't let fear control your future. Instead, let friendship and music guide you."
BABYQUEEN were all speechless at those words. Layla, who had been standing still for a while now, her eyes filled with tears, finally spoke softly:
Layla: "I... am really scared. But seeing you guys here, I feel like I have more faith. I promise I won't give up."
Claria nodded slightly, smiling rarely:
Claria: "That's the center I want to see."
In the far corner, the ASTRIX boys stood silently watching. They didn't interfere, but their eyes lit up when they heard the teachings from their legendary seniors. Damien stood with his arms crossed, his eyes wavering slightly as he watched Layla speak strongly. Elio whispered to Julian:
Elio: "Sounds like a lesson for all of us. A band... is not just a tool for fame."
Julian (nodding slightly): "Yeah. But Vex will never understand that."
Rayden still kept his eyes on Jennifer, gritting his teeth slightly, but then smiled to hide it. Lucas lowered his voice to encourage Lilia:
Lucas: "Did you hear that? Don't be afraid anymore. If BABYQUEEN doesn't give up, then ASTRIX won't either."
Lilia looked up, her eyes filled with surprise, before she could reply, Mia stood up, clapping her hands as if to end the conversation:
Mia: "Okay, my junior, remember today. Every tear, every crack, can become strength for the stage later."
Liluna added, her voice full of confidence:
Liluna: "Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid when you guys can't sing for each other anymore."
Claria simply said:
Claria: "Protect Jen. Just like we used to protect each other."
BABYQUEEN nodded in unison, their eyes still filled with worry, but also shining with new faith.
Behind, ASTRIX looked at each other, no one said anything, but in their hearts they understood: these words were not only for BABYQUEEN, but also resonated for themselves.