Nathaniel, the Alien:
Nathaniel was no ordinary resident of Luminaria. An alien with the ability to teleport, hear ringing sounds, and stop time for a minute, he had not chosen Earth as his home but was drawn to its chaotic beauty and human emotions. Nathaniel had a unique gift: he could feel the emotions of those around him, a gift that often left him overwhelmed in the crowded city.
One evening, as Nathaniel returned to his condo, he felt a surge of sadness and frustration coming from the building. It was intense, almost overwhelming, and he knew it was coming from a new resident.
"Who is that?" he asked to himself.
Deciding to investigate, he went outside and found the source of the noise—a door next to him. A new neighbor.
Sabrina, the Cursed Star:
Sabrina was a woman of many talents. In her twenties, she is a vibrant writer, fashionista, model, dancer, and singer. She was a very loud person outside and had a hard time expressing her true feelings. She has her deepest secret, that is, as the evening progressed, she inexplicably aged into her fifty—a curse placed upon her by someone who had felt slighted by her success and confidence. This curse had turned her life into a cycle of highs and lows, where she lived two different lives every single day.
The curse had strained her relationships, especially with her family. Just that morning, her mother had texted her, calling her a "dumb person" for getting into trouble again. The harsh words had stung, adding to her emotional burden.
The Encounter:
On her first night in her new condo, Sabrina tried to drown her sorrows by singing. Her voice, beautiful yet filled with sadness, echoed through her entire living room. She sang song after song, hoping to find some solace in the music.
Nathaniel, sensitive to the emotional turmoil, decided to intervene. He teleported to her door and knocked. Sabrina, startled, opened the door to find a handsome young man with an otherworldly aura.
"You know, I cannot sleep. Your voice is quite loud." his voice was cold.
He saw a lady wearing a long sleeve and has gloves in her hands, with shades on, facial mask on her face, holding a comb as her microphone, hair is messy despite having a cap covering her head. Her face was totally covered. Nonetheless, she is like a messed up girl.
Sabrina looked at him, surprised. Her day had been quite tough, and her only stress reliever was to sing tonight.
"Oh, am I not allowed to just relieve? My mom told me I'm dumb, my management told me I suck in dancing." she replied, her eyes red from crying. "Even just for this singing, I suck. Oh, but thank you, I am having a tough day."
And with that, Sabrina forcefully closed the door.
Nathaniel and Tan:
Nathaniel was living alone in his condo in the bustling city of Luminara. His brother, Tan, who used to live with him, had moved out to focus on his studies at a prestigious school. Despite living separately, the brothers remained close and met regularly.
One Saturday morning, Nathaniel received a call from Tan.
"Hey, brother. How about we meet up this weekend? I have something for you."
"Sure. Let's meet at our usual spot." Nathaniel replied, intrigued by the excitement in his brother's voice.
They met at a cozy little restaurant they both loved. As they sat down, Tan handed Nathaniel a ticket.
"This is for a fan meeting event tomorrow morning. My favorite artist is having a fan meeting, and I want you to come with me." Nathaniel looked at the ticket, puzzled.
"You know I'm not into artists, Tan. I don't even know any celebrities here. I don't even have any social media."
Tan laughed at his brother.
"I know, but this artist is amazing. Trust me, you'll enjoy it."
Seeing the genuine excitement on his brother's face, Nathaniel nodded.
"Alright, I'll come."
The Fan Meeting:
Sunday morning arrived, and Nathaniel and Tan made their way to the event. The venue was buzzing with excitement. Fans filled the room, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the artist. Nathaniel and Tan were seated in the front row.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted in cheers. A tall young lady with a big smile appeared on stage, waving enthusiastically at her fans.
Nathaniel watched her, sensing an aura of both joy and hidden sadness.
"That's Sabrina." Tan whispered to Nathaniel, eyes shining with admiration. "She's an incredible artist."
As the event progressed, Sabrina answered questions about her career, sharing stories about her journey as a writer, model, dancer, and singer. She spoke with passion and warmth, captivating everyone in the room.
During a lull in the questions, the emcee posed a personal inquiry to Sabrina, "With whom do you find your comfort?"
Sabrina's smile widened, her eyes reflecting genuine warmth.
"Of course, my family, especially my mom who always thinks of me and tells me I'm smart. And also, my management team who has unwavering belief in my abilities."
Nathaniel listened intently, feeling an inexplicable connection to Sabrina's words. He sensed the emotional depth behind her cheerful exterior and found himself drawn to her story, but did not want to get involved in any other human problem.
The Unexpected Connection:
After the event, Tan managed to get a moment with Sabrina. Being a fan, Tan didn't know how to react and seemed very excited to meet her.
"Hi Ms. Sabrina." Tan smiles as he walks in and greeted the lady.
Sabrina, who was used to having a lot of fans, greeted Tan back and initiated a handshake, which made Tan giggle.
"Take a picture of us please." Tan whispered as he handed his phone to his brother.
Nathaniel stood a little awkwardly beside his brother, looking slightly out of place. He took the phone and prepared to take a picture of him and Sabrina.
Sabrina and Tan posed for the picture, and Nathaniel snapped a few shots. As he handed the phone back to Tan, Sabrina turned her attention to Nathaniel. Somehow, Nathaniel senses that someone is looking at him but decided to ignore it.
Later at 5:30pm, Nathaniel returned to his condo. As fate would have it, Sabrina ended up moving into the same building, as a new neighbor of Nathaniel. Their paths crossed again as Sabrina went inside the elevator where Nathaniel was already there.
"You?" Nathaniel said. He remembers this girl. He just being there in her fan meeting earlier.
"Yes me." The girl replied with a smirk.
Nathaniel waited for the girl to press the elevator's button, but she didn't move.
Uninterested in engaging with a celebrity or anyone else, Nathaniel stood silently. To him, everyone was on the same level, regardless of fame. He preferred isolation and only engaged with his brother.
The elevator doors opened at Nathaniel's floor. As he was about to exit, he noticed Sabrina stepping out first. Nathaniel didn't pay much attention to who lived in the building. Well, he doesn't care who the residents are. As Nathaniel is about to open his door, Sabrina stops on a room next to his leaving Nathaniel realized that Sabrina is her new neighbor.
"Don't tell anyone that I am living here." Sabrina said with a playful wink before disappearing into her room.