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Mai Sakurajima's existence had dealt a devastating blow to Nodoka Toyohama's self-esteem.
Everyone sang Mai's praises, and even Nodoka's own mother lived under Mai's shadow, constantly comparing Nodoka to her older half-sister.
Under such relentless pressure, it was no wonder the girl was struggling.
Badr's goal today was to help Nodoka build her confidence, and this commercial shoot presented the perfect opportunity.
However, it would likely be a long day for the film crew...
Looking at the approaching crew members, Badr offered a silent apology.
Sorry, folks. You're in for a long one today. A one-take wonder like Mai? Not likely...
He shrugged, calmly accompanying Nodoka onto the set.
The crew seemed almost oblivious to his presence. No one found it odd that he was there.
Altering common sense was incredibly convenient.
Badr sat down on a chair, his relaxed demeanor drawing a speechless look from Nodoka.
He really is unfazed, no matter the situation...
...
A car arrived, carrying Mai's new manager. They were perfectly on time.
After discussing the details, the director smiled.
"Let's get started, shall we?"
"Okay."
Nodoka glanced involuntarily at Badr. He sat quietly, seemingly invisible to everyone around him.
After a quick round of makeup and wardrobe changes, filming began.
Watching the flurry of activity around Mai, Badr couldn't help but understand the allure of stardom. The high income and constant attention were undoubtedly addictive.
As filming progressed, it was Nodoka's turn to perform.
However, shortly after they started, the cameraman called for a cut.
Mai's expression seemed unnatural.
Badr wasn't surprised. This was expected.
Nodoka lacked acting experience, so such issues were inevitable.
Badr himself had often relied on fake smiles, giving him some understanding of acting, though he wouldn't dare compare himself to Mai...
The failed first take increased Nodoka's anxiety. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
The makeup artist hurried over, touching up her makeup.
But the more she saw everyone fussing over her, the more she realized how her every move impacted their time and effort, the greater her anxiety became.
Until now, she had never grasped the weight of responsibility that came with the name "Mai Sakurajima."
Now, she finally understood.
But that understanding had transformed into crushing pressure.
Her breathing grew rapid, her heart pounded in her chest. The intense nervousness made it harder to breathe, and her condition worsened.
Seeing this, Badr snapped his fingers.
Snap!
Everyone on set froze.
They stood motionless, eyes glazed over, like puppets with their strings cut.
In her nervous state, Nodoka didn't notice. A moment later, the frozen crew returned to normal.
"Excellent! Miss Mai, that's the expression! Hold it!"
The cameraman's sudden outburst startled Nodoka.
That blunder was good?
Her bewildered expression amused Badr. He knew exactly what she was thinking.
Seriously, you know you messed up, so why wait for someone else to point it out?
Clearly, Nodoka was in no state to ponder such questions.
Since the cameraman had praised her, and the director hadn't called cut, she persevered, drenched in sweat, her performance riddled with mistakes.
Nodoka stumbled through the shoot, her performance abysmal, even to her own eyes. Yet, the director never yelled cut...
After the shoot, Nodoka instinctively looked towards Badr. He gave her a knowing smile, leisurely sipping a chilled bottle of mung bean milk through a straw.
"Miss Mai, the commercial was excellent. How about we do another take?"
...If it was excellent, why another take?
Nodoka wondered, bewildered.
But since the director requested it, she had no reason to refuse. She composed herself and repeated the scene.
"Fantastic! That was wonderful! Let's see... one more take from the top, okay?"
Nodoka: "..."
More effusive praise, yet no approval!
If it weren't so bizarre, Nodoka would have thought the director's tact had skyrocketed.
She wasn't foolish. She recognized the crew's behavior mirrored those affected by Badr's altered common sense. Their fundamental perceptions were skewed.
Their words needed to be interpreted in reverse.
"Excellent" meant "terrible."
Nodoka couldn't help but find it both amusing and frustrating. She glanced at Badr, her eyes questioning if he was trying to spare her feelings.
Badr, however, remained impassive, calmly sipping his mung bean milk, feigning ignorance.
Suddenly, Nodoka felt a wave of relief wash over her.
That Badr... claiming he wouldn't help me at all...
Realizing that Badr's tough exterior hid a soft heart, and that he was helping her, eased her anxiety significantly.
Simply put, it felt good to have someone in her corner.
And so, Nodoka fumbled through twelve more takes before finally finding her groove and completing the shoot.
"Hmm... let's see... truly awful. The expression is dreadful. Well, let's leave it at that. No more takes."
The director, with a stern face, scrutinized the hard-won footage, muttering criticisms.
Finally, Badr approached Nodoka.
"Not bad. You managed it in thirteen tries. I thought you'd need more."
"It was twelve!"
"Tsk, and you're proud of that?" Badr smirked.
Nodoka was speechless, managing only a meek, "I know it's all thanks to you..."
"It was nothing," Badr waved his hand dismissively. "The point is, you finished the commercial. It proves that what Mai can do, you can do too. Don't underestimate yourself."
"...Really?"
"That's what Mai wants you to know. She's not that much better than you. You should have confidence in yourself."
"But without your help, I would have failed today. I felt like I was going to faint."
Nodoka's voice was laced with dejection. "In the end, I'm still useless on my own..."
Badr tilted his head, suddenly pinching her cheek.
"So, you're going to completely ignore all the effort you put in?"
"Ow!"
Nodoka was taken aback by Badr's unexpected action.
"You think I went through all this trouble just to show you how helpless you are? That's not the lesson here."
Badr's voice was calm and firm.
"Mai has natural talent, but she also puts in an unimaginable amount of effort. You might not have the same natural talent, but based on the result, you achieved the same thing. So, with a little more effort, you can nail it in one take next time."
"...You think so?"
"I don't think so. You can do it."
Badr's voice was steady and reassuring.Â
"No one praised you before, no one gave you confidence. Now, you can have your own confidence. If anyone asks where you got it from, tell them I gave it to you."
Nodoka: "..."
...
Badr's words were playful, but Nodoka couldn't bring herself to smile.
She lowered her head, her eyes brimming with tears.
She didn't know why, but in this moment, after hearing those words of encouragement and validation, she felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
It turned out that all she had ever wanted was this small bit of recognition.
Ever since she could understand, Nodoka had been constantly compared to Mai Sakurajima.
Because of Mai, Nodoka had even lost her name in many people's eyes, forever known as "Mai Sakurajima's little sister."
This label not only brought immense pressure but also fueled her mother's resentment and anger.
Consequently, all Nodoka heard from her mother was dissatisfaction.
Mai can do it, why can't you?
That was the phrase her mother repeated most often.
Now, finally, someone had told her that she wasn't inferior to her sister, that with effort, she could achieve the same things.
Seeing her reaction, Badr knew he had accomplished his goal. He smiled gently and turned to leave.
"Come on, let's go. Time to catch the concert."
"Okay..."
Nodoka mumbled, her head still lowered. She took a step to follow him, but her legs buckled, and she stumbled forward.
Badr sensed her presence behind him and instinctively turned around. A fragrant breeze brushed his face as Nodoka collapsed against him, pulling him down to the ground.
"..."
He felt the girl trembling against him.
"Ah, how...? My legs... they won't work..." Nodoka murmured, sprawled on top of him.
Badr lay on the ground, raising an eyebrow but remaining silent.
It seemed the tension from the shoot had finally caught up to her.
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