Lucas and Emma sat in the back seat of the car as it headed toward his dorm.
Emma, still visibly irritated, sat next to him with her arms and legs crossed.
Based on the original Lucas's memories, Emma had never liked him—for many reasons.
The original Lucas had always been nervous and submissive around her. But this Lucas wasn't about to act the same way.
He stayed silent, calm, and kept his eyes on the passing streets outside the window, waiting for Emma to speak.
"Lucas," she finally said. "How could you be out this late? You know you're just causing trouble for everyone."
"As Ms. Grace said, someone pushed me into the river, Emma," Lucas replied evenly.
Emma, however, didn't take him seriously, brushing it off as just another incident caused by Lucas's own carelessness.
To her, it was nothing more than an inconvenience.
In Emma's eyes, Lucas had little value. He was always lagging behind the other members of the group.
"You know, Stellarix is going to be disbanded soon," Emma said bluntly. "It's been three years since your debut."
Lucas nodded but remained silent.
Stellarix was the idol group Lucas was a part of, but after three years, the group hadn't seen any significant growth.
In particular, Lucas hadn't progressed like his bandmates—his career was sluggish, to the point of being considered a failure.
"Do you have any thoughts on that, Lucas?" Emma asked, her tone almost challenging.
Lucas turned and looked directly at Emma.
Something about his gaze made her pause—it was sharp, confident, and calm.
This wasn't the Lucas she was used to. The Lucas she knew always avoided eye contact, was quiet, and lacked confidence.
She stayed silent, observing him, unsure of what to make of the change.
Lucas replied, "No, I don't have any opinions about that, Emma. I'll just go along with whatever decision is made for Stellarix."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "And what's your plan if Stellarix does get disbanded?"
"I don't know," Lucas said. "I'll figure it out when it happens."
Emma sat back, relaxing a little as she took a deep breath and gazed out the window.
"I've known you since you first joined as a trainee, and I've watched you grow into an adult," she began.
"In reality, the entertainment industry depends heavily on both talent and luck. Some people just stand there, doing nothing, and yet they gain massive popularity, with fans flocking to them. And then, there are those on the other side—like you."
Lucas remained silent, listening as Emma continued.
"I don't mean to put you down, Lucas," she said. "I'm just speaking the truth. You're still only eighteen, it's not too late to start over, to turn your career around."
Lucas stayed quiet, processing her words, but didn't offer any response.
He felt an overwhelming exhaustion, too drained to even respond to the argument.
Emma continued, "Looking at your career over the past three years, do you honestly think you can get another job in this industry? In my opinion, you're not suited for this line of work anymore. It would be better if you left now, pursued your education, and went to college."
Lucas turned to her, surprised by her blunt words.
It wasn't what he expected to hear, and the directness of her suggestion caught him off guard.
"How can this woman be so blunt? And why did the original Lucas just seem to accept it all?" he muttered to himself.
"Truly hopeless," Lucas murmured under his breath.
"What? What did you just say?" Emma asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Nothing."
Emma squinted at him, sensing something unusual about Lucas's behavior.
Emma's final remarks about his career left him with an unexpected sense of deep disappointment.
Lucas realized this was the natural feeling of the original Lucas, lingering within him.
He hadn't expected Emma to suggest something so drastic.
She was the one who had offered him this job in the first place, and the original Lucas had thought she pitied him and cared about his life.
He believed this journey would last for a long time.
But something he had never imagined was happening much sooner than expected—a unilateral termination of his contract.
"Emma, isn't the contract I signed with the company still valid for another three years?" Lucas asked.
"That's true, but you seem to forget that the company also reserves the right to assign—or not assign—work to any of its artists, Lucas. In the end, it's just words on paper," Emma replied.
"You're saying the company really won't give me any more work?" Lucas asked, his gaze steady and unwavering.
Emma was once again caught off guard by Lucas's response.
This was something she had never seen from him before.
The original Lucas had always been passive, never daring to question or challenge anything she said.
This was a stark contrast to the Lucas she was used to, but she quickly dismissed it.
Given the gravity of the situation, it made sense for him to react differently—after all, this was a major turning point in his life, and it surely hurt him deeply.
Emma tried to explain more gently. "Lucas, you know there are many artists in our agency. And you also know we're not a big agency. If there are artists with bigger popularity, why should we prioritize someone who's not as popular?"
Despite her attempt to soften her words, Emma was still blunt in her explanation.
"This is for your own good, Lucas. I don't want you to waste three years just sitting around in the agency doing nothing. What if, after those three years, the agency decides not to renew your contract? What will you do then? That's why, before it's too late, I hope you'll follow my advice. It's better for you to focus on your studies and get into college."
Lucas remained silent, processing everything Emma had said.
Based on the original Lucas's memories, Emma could never be described as particularly kind to him, nor openly harsh.
She was straightforward, but from the moment he debuted, she hadn't shown much enthusiasm for him.
Perhaps it was because his career hadn't gone the way he had hoped.
Even so, Lucas knew Emma's words held truth.
He understood that the original Lucas's personality wasn't well-suited for the entertainment industry.
Her advice to focus on school rather than a career in show business might have been the more practical path.
For Lucas, in fact, that would be an easier route.
In his previous life, he had just completed his studies at a prestigious university in his world.
"Ck!" Lucas clicked his tongue. "If I hadn't had that fatal accident, I'd probably be working at that big company by now."
"No, wait. I just got this system, didn't I? Isn't my life supposed to start changing from here?" Lucas thought, recalling the system's promise.
A slight smile crossed his face as he resolved to turn the original Lucas's life around using the tools he now possessed.
Soon, he'd be someone entirely different from before.
But he knew success wouldn't come overnight—it would take time, determination, and patience.
And for now, that still meant he'd need money to keep going.
"Emma, of course I'll keep going to school," he said, "but if the company isn't giving me any work, will I still get my monthly salary?"
When he first signed the contract, it stated that Lucas would receive a monthly stipend of $500 to $2000, depending on the projects he worked on.
Emma gave him a thin smile. "Lucas, we're not giving you any jobs. You're not earning any money for us. How can we keep paying you?"
She continued, "But don't worry, you can still stay in the dorm as long as your contract is active."
Lucas shifted his gaze out the window. "So, the agency really wants to terminate my contract? Emma, you know I don't have any other work and rely solely on the agency. Can't they at least provide the minimum salary they promised?"
Emma remained silent, avoiding his gaze, offering no answer.
With no other options, Lucas felt backed into a corner—no savings, no clear path forward.
He couldn't ignore the fact that the original Lucas had been entirely dependent on the agency, waiting for them to handle everything for him.
"How could someone with such potential let himself become this helpless?" he muttered.
The thought of starting over from scratch seemed unbelievable to him.
All this time, the original Lucas had relied solely on the agency, but now, even the agency couldn't guarantee anything for his future.
Not long after, the car stopped in front of the company's dorm building, where the agency housed its artists.
Lucas got out of the car, and Emma lowered her window.
"Lucas, I hope you'll seriously consider my advice," she said.
"Emma, don't worry about me too much," he said, offering a faint smile and a nod.
Yet something about his gaze unsettled Emma—it was different.
His eyes were filled with certainty, no longer wavering, though there was still a trace of disappointment.
Before Emma could roll up the window, Lucas spoke. "Emma, you know if I almost died tonight. Do you know what I thought about in those last moments before I was saved?"
Emma stayed silent, guilt tugging at her.
She had her own regrets, but there was nothing she could do for him now.
"I've been suffering for myself these past eighteen years. And now, I'm starting over."
"Thank you for giving me all of this. I promise, I'll become more successful than anyone could ever imagine."
Lucas's smile widened, but Emma didn't mirror it.
Slowly, the car drove away, and she rolled up the window without saying another word.