The Winter Festival party had come to an end, and Tilan's vacation was nearly over.
"Are you going back?" Deloris asked her. At the time, Tilan was packing her bags in the room—it wasn't much and would probably be done in a moment.
"Yeah, it's been a while since I went back. Middle school life feels like it's a world away, but it's only been a year and a half." Tilan reflected on the drastic changes over the past year and a half, feeling as if they belonged to another lifetime.
"Are you going back alone, or do you want me to come with you?"
"Not alone actually, I have made plans with a classmate, an old friend." The girl explained simply.
Afterward, Tilan started telling Deloris about some things from middle school. Ever since her family members left one by one, she had become lonely. Those times were tough, but luckily, she stumbled her way through.
Listening quietly to Tilan's stories from the past, Deloris felt nervous for her at times and repulsed by those who bullied Tilan.
"Tilan is very strong. It would have been great if I had met you sooner."
"There are no ifs. If it weren't for that period in my life, I wouldn't be standing before you now. I most likely would have just followed the crowd to an ordinary school, then graduate and get a job."
"It was because I had such a hard time that I worked so hard to find a way out of that environment. Without that reason, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to walk into Edith Academy's admissions room. After all, for most people, Edith Academy seems unattainably high. I was really nervous and apprehensive back then." The girl shook her head; there were no accidents in fate. If she hadn't had such a rough time, she probably wouldn't have had the courage to walk through that door.
She was not the type to chase after fame and fortune, and she was content with simpler things. If she hadn't been pushed to the brink of panic, she wouldn't have taken the risk.
The atmosphere in her middle school class was unhealthy. If she had rashly announced her intention to apply to Edith Academy and then failed, it would have easily become the talk and the joke of the class, which would have been a huge blow to her.
After finishing packing, Tilan sat on the edge of the bed, leaning against the quilt, looking up at the wooden beams of the cabin roof, and then closed her eyes, ready to take a short nap.
Deloris came over, covered Tilan with a light blanket, then returned to the living room. She glanced at the colored painting Tilan had finished a few days ago, wondering if there was anything else she needed to prepare for the sleepy girl.
Half an hour later, a refreshed Tilan woke up from her nap, feeling much better. At that time, Deloris had also returned to the room, holding a hat and tea-colored sunglasses in her hand.
Tilan looked at Deloris as she approached, placing the hat on her own head, curious.
"They're for you to wear, and these sunglasses too," said Deloris as she carefully put the sunglasses on Tilan.
"You can't just go back like that. You're now a household name, a famous Songstress." Deloris briefed the girl who was still unaware of her status.
"These alone are not enough. I feel like we need to change the hair color as well," Deloris observed as she looked at Tilan's face.
"How about this?" Tilan's eyes slightly closed, then opened, her previously black hair turning into a fine light grey, and her blue eyes turned black.
"You can do this too, Tilan? But grey and black are still too similar," Deloris thought they should completely change the hair color.
"I can naturally change to these two colors only. If I were to change to another color, I'd probably need some sort of props."
As Tilan said this, a spark of insight flashed in Deloris's eyes, and she quickly started searching through her personal terminal.
"You sit in front of the mirror first." Deloris urged the girl to sit in front of the dressing mirror, and then started to work on her hair.
She first put it up, then tied a certain section of the hair, or pushed aside the bangs, or gestured towards a slightly curled style. Sitting in front of the dressing mirror, Tilan felt like a doll waiting to be dressed, but Deloris was quite respectful of her wishes, asking for Tilan's opinion from time to time.
After discussing for almost half an hour, the sound of helicopter blades whirling overhead reached the cabin, marking the arrival of the delivery Flight Autonomous Unit.
After receiving the hair dye and setting spray arranged for Tilan, Deloris patiently and meticulously helped the girl get dressed. Soon enough, the black gentle hair was dyed chestnut and the tips curled slightly inwards, resting on her collarbones. After that, Deloris completed the look with a hat and sunglasses, transforming Tilan's demeanor.
Looking at her reflection, Tilan turned around a couple of times to check herself out.
"It's a mature and stylish look; it makes me look like I've aged a few years," Tilan mused, finding the experience both fresh and familiar. She remembered that Yilin often dressed this way, although they were of similar age, Yilin always seemed much more mature.
Then, Deloris continued to fix Tilan's hair until the Hover Car that was coming to pick up Tilan arrived.
Evening, Comet City in South Third District.
Clara stood on the roadside, dragging a large suitcase, frequently checking her watch with an increasingly anxious expression. The Hover Car she had booked seemed to be running late today.
A light set of footsteps came from behind Clara, stopping right beside her. Under normal circumstances, she would've distanced herself with irritation, suspecting ill intentions, but today a distinct voice caught her attention.
"It's me, Clara." The familiar voice immediately made the girl realize who the figure wearing sunglasses and a mask beside her was.