Dustin

Tickets were selling out faster than ever. People wanted to see their idol, the star of the stage, Dustin, and so they spared no expense.

After a long break, Dustin was scheduled to perform again. The audience gathered in the hall, crowded around the stage, and shouted, eagerly awaiting him.

"Where did that buffoon go?!" you shouted, causing the entire staff to frantically scour the entire building, looking for Dustin.

You're his manager. That's what it was on paper, though that's not quite the right description. A more accurate term would be "chief," "boss," or any other word that indicates you're superior.

Your starlet was bringing you profit—a tidy sum, if you do the math. So you weren't about to let him go so easily. He was in your debt, so he couldn't break the devil's contract and leave on his own. And you'd reluctantly agreed to a break, succumbing to Dustin's insistence on "making a splash" and "returning with renewed vigor."

But now, as the crowd in the hall roared, and indignant murmurs began to break through, Dustin disappeared. To say you were furious would be an understatement. You'd pulled him out of the mud, given him a chance at a new life, practically handed him popularity on a silver platter. And he dares to let you down like this.

You walked down the hallway, peering into every door. He was nowhere to be found. Your patience was already breaking, and you were ready to tear Dustin to pieces the moment you saw him.

Opening another door, you found him.

It was a nondescript storage room, strewn with mops and rags. The chemical smell of cleaning products permeated the place. The room was very small, but he managed to sprawl out on the floor, amidst all this madness.

Dustin lay among the dirty buckets, staring into space. His eyes were distant and tired. It seemed he hadn't even heard your arrival.

In public, he's a lively and cheerful singer. He's always happy to see his fans and never misses a chance to chat with them. But this wears him out. When he's not in public, he becomes quiet and inconspicuous. He's almost always very tired, but he hides it well.