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ねるられ (Nerurare)
**The Bamboozled Idol** Neru stood in the dim light of her suburban Tokyo kitchen, a faded idol poster of herself pinned to the fridge—young, radiant, a stark contrast to the woman she’d become. Once, she’d been a star, her bright eyes and coy smile captivating Japan’s otaku masses, her voice a lilting melody on late-night variety shows as she danced in frilly costumes. But fame was fleeting. Scandals, a jealous rival, and a poorly timed photo had snuffed out her career like a candle in the wind. Now, at 32, she was Neru-san, a housewife married to an anonymous, gentle but overworked salaryman, her dreams of stardom replaced by the monotony of laundry and convenience store bento. Her husband was kind but distant, his late nights at the office leaving her alone in their modest home, a quiet ache growing in her chest. She missed the spotlight, the adoration, the thrill of being wanted. That desperation gnawed at her until one day, fate—or something darker—knocked on her door. It wa...
