My Superstar System: Rise To Stardom

Chapter Seven

It was two days before the screening for the talent show Super Stars Of Tomorrow.

Over the past four days, Alex had been training relentlessly, pushing himself through both singing practice and physical fitness training.

The system had assigned him a physical training mission, and his physical level had finally been pushed to eleven. He was now stronger than the average adult man.

As for his singing, the system had not given him any mission to improve it. Even after his physical mission was completed, it remained completely silent.

That silence did not make him give up. He continued training his vocals every day without fail, refining his control and endurance as best as he could on his own.

Today, however, something unexpected happened. While he was eating breakfast, a mission suddenly appeared.

(Ding! New mission: go to a studio and record a song.

Reward: one random level increase.

Punishment: random points deduction.)

Well, here it was. He had been complaining about not receiving any missions, and now the system had finally delivered one.

“Go to a studio and record?” It sounded easy enough, right? It would have been, if he had the money. He had just paid rent, and studio time would cost him a hundred credits.

At his part-time job, where he worked three hours a day, he was paid only two hundred and fifty credits a week. Fortunately, his landlady accepted lower rent than most, and he was attending school on a scholarship. Otherwise, surviving on such a small income would have been nearly impossible.

After paying three months’ rent, which totaled seven hundred and fifty credits, he had only forty credits left. The mission suddenly felt impossible.

If he had been told to fight a thug or do something similar, maybe he could have tried. But credits could not simply appear out of thin air, could they?

Then, suddenly, he remembered his fatty friend Jude. Hadn’t Jude invited them to his studio four days ago?

Without wasting another second, Alex pulled out his phone and called him.

“Hello, Alex. How are you doing?” Jude said cheerfully.

“I’m fine, Jude. And you?” Alex replied.

“I’m great.”

“That’s good. Are you at home?” Alex asked carefully.

“Of course. Where else would I be on a Sunday? Do you need me to do something for you?” Jude asked.

“Yeah, a favor. Can I come over and record in your studio?” Alex asked, silently praying that Jude would say yes.

Jude immediately perked up when he heard that.

“Of course, of course. You are always welcome. Also… can you bring Amber with you?” he added.

Alex paused. He could not promise something like that, since he was not that close to her.

“Alright, I’ll try,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t come. It’s just that the more the merrier,” Jude replied before ending the call. Soon after, he sent his house address along with a map.

Alex immediately dialed Amber’s number. After a few rings, she picked up, and he explained about going to Jude’s studio together.

“This… I’m tired and don’t feel like going out. Maybe next time,” she said.

Alex felt a flicker of disappointment. He really wanted her to come. Jude had seemed genuinely excited about the idea of the two of them visiting the studio together, and even though Alex could still go alone, he wanted to fulfill Jude’s wish, especially since he would be recording for free.

Jude was an introvert, and small, unexpected things could make him extremely happy. Alex knew this well, because he had been the same while growing up in his original world.

“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?” Alex asked as a last attempt. He did not expect it to work, but he asked anyway. To his surprise, he received a positive response.

“Maybe. It depends on what you can offer,” she replied playfully.

Alex was pleasantly surprised. He thought hard, but there was nothing he believed he could realistically offer to convince her. Still, he made one final attempt.

“Okay. I’ll take you out on a date later. Just not today.”

“Accepted. Send me your address.”

He froze and blinked. It worked just like that? How was that even possible?

****

“I don’t understand, Jude. When did you become so enthusiastic about cleaning? I always have to clean up after you. Tell me, did an angel visit you in your dream and tell you to be a good child?” Agnes teased her only son.

“What are you saying, Mom? What angel visited me?” Jude said, blushing as he tried to escape.

“Wait, don’t go,” Agnes said, chasing after him.

“Tell me the truth. Do you have a girlfriend now?” she asked with a teasing smile.

Jude’s blush deepened, his face turning red like a tomato.

“Alright, alright. I’ll stop before my own son turns into a blood puddle from embarrassment,” Agnes said, eyeing his flushed expression with amusement.

“Tell me, son. What’s the occasion? After all, there’s no smoke without fire, right?” she added.

“That old adage is false. There can actually be smoke without fire,” Jude argued.

“Alright, but that’s not the point. What’s the occasion? Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the fun,” she said, pinching his cheeks.

“Two of my classmates are coming over to my studio today,” he replied.

“Really? Are they your friends too?” Agnes asked hopefully.

Her son did not have friends. He had only ever mentioned one boy named Alex, and even then, they had seemed more like acquaintances. She had also heard they were no longer close. After that, Jude never mentioned having friends again.

She knew her son struggled with socializing, and it worried her deeply. She wanted him to be proactive, knowing that was the only way to make friends, but she did not want to force him either.

He was all that she had, and she cared about him immensely.

Jude paused at the question. He and Alex could be considered friends now. They talked often, and their relationship was much better than before. As for Amber, they had not spoken much in the past, but recently she had joined their conversations, even sitting with them in the canteen.

She had even scolded a bully on his behalf once. Was that not what friendship was? Watching out for each other.

“Yes, they are my friends,” he said firmly.

“Yes! My dear son finally has friends. Muah! Muah!” Agnes exclaimed, kissing his cheeks repeatedly.

“Stop it, Mom. It’s embarrassing,” Jude protested, trying to push her away.

“But nobody is here. Why should you be embarrassed? You are my big baby,” she said, continuing anyway.

Jude sighed and gave up. That was just how his mother was. She was overly affectionate, probably because he was her only child and her husband had left her for another woman

.

“Anyway, do I know any of your friends?” she asked suddenly.

Jude paused. Should he tell her, or should he not?