He found her ying on her phone, a faint smile gracing her lips. She seemed to be in a good mood.


    "Why do you like mango candies so much?" Shanley asked softly, handing her a bag filled with them. "These are all for you."


    It was a collection he had amassed—some from the local store, some imported from Australis. He had been keeping them in the car, waiting for a ''chance encounter'' to win the girl over.


    Juniper blinked, looking at the bag of candies and trying to decipher his intentions.


    "I was in a rushst time and didn''t get to thank you properly, Ms. Payne," Shanley exined, his voice gentle and persuasive as he watched her. "It''s just a small token."


    "Alright." Juniper studied his face for a few seconds, then raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, Mr. Schwartz."


    "You''re wee," Shanley said, smoothly pulling out his phone. "Let''s exchange contact info. When you run out of candy, I can bring you more."


    "More?" Juniper lifted her gaze, her clear eyes meeting his chiseled features.


    Tsk. A handsome face really was a pleasant sight to behold. She opened her phone''s contact sharing page. A soft chime confirmed the connection.


    "Be safe on your way." They had arrived at her destination. Shanley watched Juniper until her figure disappeared from view before looking away.


    "Ms. Payne seems to be in a good mood today," Flint remarked, surprised. She hadn''t even given his boss the cold shoulder.


    Looking at her contact on his phone, Shanley''s lips curved into a smile. It turned out the girl wasn''t so hard to please after all. He just hadn''t been using the right method.


    ...


    The next day, Juniper dutifully attended her sses and ate her meals on time. As she passed the dance studio, she heard a familiar piece of music: "Dawn." It was a song and dance she had choreographed when she was sixteen, while her grandfather was ill. The style was contemporary, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, demanding immense explosive power that most dancers couldn''t handle. Peeking inside, she saw Queenie practicing her final run-through. The dress rehearsal was tomorrow, and the performance the day after.


    Queenie, dressed in a white leotard, moved with grace. Her limbs were slender, her waist trim, her body flexible, and her emotional control was perfect. She was a born dancer. Her talent and form were miles ahead of Ynda''s clumsy attempts. "Anchor with your left foot, point your right hand to the sky, and don''t slouch..." Hearing the voice, Queenie turned to see Juniper sitting on a chair, sipping a smoothie and watching her with azy expression. Queenie didn''t stop, instead trying to incorporate the correction. The effect was immediate and dramatic.


    "You know how to dance to Master Lunar''s work?" Queenie asked, walking over after she finished, a look of confusion on her face.


    "Huh?" Juniper gave a faint smile. "I''ve seen some of her videos. They''re not bad."


    "Right? She''s amazing!" Hearing that Juniper was also a fan of her idol, Queenie''s face lit up. "I just hope I don''t embarrass her on stage."


    During her darkest times, it was Lunar''s dances that had gotten her through. To her, Lunar was not just a dance mentor, but a spiritual pir.


    "Do you want to win?" Juniper tilted her head, a yful smile on her lips.


    "I can''t," Queenie said with a self-deprecatingugh. "Master Lunar''s dances are really difficult. There are several moves where I just can''t find the right point of leverage. And this costume... I''ll be aughingstock the moment I step on stage."


    While she had the foundation, her resources werecking. She''d heard the costume Ynda had prepared was worth a small fortune.


    "You can." Juniper tossed her empty cup into the trash can, her tone light but firm. "If I say you can win, you will win."