[A short story written as a reward after finishing a long one, to give my brain a massage and enjoy a light romance]
After an accident, top star Bian Yue became a vegetable.
When he opened his eyes again, he had become the dog of his nemesis, Yang Zheng.
Yang Zheng was a singer who rose from humble beginnings as an internet celebrity. Her debut was on a talent show where Bian Yue was a mentor.
She could clearly have relied on her talent, but instead she took shortcuts. In the end, she even took money to rig a competition, then suffered a shocking defeat.
Bian Yue had wanted to invite her to sign with his company, but she beat him to it and founded her own studio.
She threw parties and gifts to ride the hype, pandered to fans and marketed ships, and spent every day trending despite having released few songs. She took plenty of abuse, but made plenty of money.
Bian Yue often spoke bluntly about the shady dealings of his peers, earning a reputation as the entertainment industry's refreshing truth-teller.
He couldn't stand Yang Zheng's obsession with money and waste of her talent, and often took jabs at her. Yang Zheng, in turn, liked and shared posts about "men with dad energy."
After a while, they became enemies.
When Bian Yue became Yang Zheng's dog, she was having her agent draft a statement expressing sympathy for Bian Yue, who had become a vegetable.
That awful woman even used AI to write it!
Furious, Bian Yue tore up the house in protest, but Yang Zheng grabbed him by the muzzle.
Yang Zheng was the kind of person who meant what she said, so Bian Yue was forced to guard the house, answer the door for deliveries, and appear in her videos.
He comforted himself with the thought that he was only putting up with her on the surface, while secretly collecting evidence of her smear campaigns and shameless money-grubbing.
Yang Zheng patted his head. "My fans say you look like Bian Yue, and that I must feed you shit every day. He's nowhere near as smart as you."
Hmph, one more piece of evidence. Bian Yue thought, his tail wagging like a propeller.
Not long after, Bian Yue's consciousness returned to his original body, and he woke from his coma.
When he saw Yang Zheng again at an in-person event, Bian Yue instinctively tucked in a tail he no longer had.
The people around them thought, Oh no! Bian Yue looks so serious. Are these two nemeses about to fight in public?
Yang Zheng didn't notice. She was asking her assistant for fruit, and reached out. "Starfruit."
Bian Yue automatically rested his chin in her palm. "Woof."
The room fell silent.
Starfruit was the name of Yang Zheng's dog.
The good news: they didn't fight.
The bad news: fans started shipping them.
[Tips]
1. A fictional modern entertainment industry. The author doesn't follow celebrities, and the characters aren't based on real people. The dog is a Border Collie with a meteorite in its lineage.
Theme: Responsible, science-based pet care
