The System Of Beauty
Chapter 26. Friend Request

Zee's social media notification provided news explaining that there was a friend request on his account.

Due to the notification of a friend request, and Zee happens to have no friends, Zee finally decided to accept the request. After that, Zee began to get several other friend requests, which resulted in the number of likes in his photo also increased.

"Who wants to be friends with me, huh?" ask Zee to himself.

"But, for social media like this, most are also not necessarily familiar in the real world" murmured Zee again, trying to understand something about social media.

When Zee received the message, she did not know who the account owners were on social media. However, as there were friend requests again and again, Zee decided to give her trust and accept the request.

"Yes already. Maybe with many friendships, later who want to "like" my photo is also a lot."

Zee has no experience with social media. That is why, he who has an open attitude towards social interaction and wants to establish relationships with new people, does not have any suspicions. Because basically, Zee is a good girl.

Ding ding ding

After the first friend request was confirmed, there came more requests so that Zee's new social media account attracted the attention of many people, or they could be people who connect with friends from to other friends. So they are interested in connecting with Zee as well.

"Well, the number of "likes" is increasing! This could be because increasing friendships do affect "like" too?"

The increase in the number of likes on his photo also sparked Zee's enthusiasm and excitement, because it showed that the content was received and appreciated by others in a way "like" photos that had been uploaded.

"If it goes on like this, I'll accept all friendships. So the "like" photo challenge mission can work!"

Zee continues to monitor the number of likes on his photos on the hour to hour. At 5 pm, "like" his photo has been collected as many as 35 likes. Although Zee continued to monitor the development, he felt pessimistic as well, because it was still far from the target set by the System.

"How's this? Less is more."

Zee felt pessimistic, he was anxious because the increase in numbers was very slow. Though he already had higher expectations, hoping for a greater number of likes quickly, so that the challenge mission could soon be completed.

"How is this, huh? Only 35 days. Huhff..."

Zee feels that 35 likes are not worth the effort or expectation, which hopes to get a big reward after completion at 23:00 WIB later.

The number of likes that do not match Zee's expectations, causing a sense of disappointment or doubt about the expected gift to be able to increase the amount of savings.

"Huhfff... I have to how else to be able to increase this "like" number, huh?"

Anxiety and fear increase, as the time nears night. Zee couldn't concentrate on what he was doing. Both while studying and when helping the siblings of the orphanage and Mother Amy.

"Sister Zee, brother why? Is brother sick? If you're sick, you better rest, Mona can do her own PR."

Mona, the orphanage sister who is being assisted while working on PR, observes Zee's state. Mona thinks her brother is sick, which is why she asks Zee to rest.

"Emhhh, you're healthy. Brother is okay."

But, it turns out that Amy's mother saw and heard Mona's words.

"Zee, you just take a break, gih! Let the mother who accompanies them learn. From earlier mother observed, you are not so healthy."

"Emmhh... Mother, Zee rest first. And Mona, if you can't do it, you can ask Amy for help, okay?"

Mother Amy and Mona nod their heads assented, then Zee went to her room to rest.She did not want if the two people who had been paying attention to her condition, would think a no-no. So he just complies.

After being inside the room, Zee began to think. He is self-aware, if the challenge mission is not necessarily all must succeed.

The number of "likes" in a photo is just a number and does not have to be a determinant of a person's success or value. This is also realized by Zee, if the creation of his social media account will be an opportunity for Zee to move forward later.

Zee began to consider how he was assessing and evaluating himself, regardless of external recognition on social media.

In addition, it is also important not to rely too much on responses and recognition on social media as a determinant of self-worth. True and important appreciation comes from personal relationships and real-life accomplishments.

Using social media in a healthy and self-respecting way is the key to maintaining mental and emotional well-being in situations like these.

"Perhaps, this challenge mission has a certain intent as well," Zee muttered after starting to calm down.

Although Zee began to feel anxious after 8 pm, but the number of "likes" in his picture did not increase, Zee still tried to think positively. The presence of anxiety that exists, it will worsen itself.

"But, why doesn't the number of "likes" add up as well, huh? Am I going to fail the challenge mission this time?"

Unfortunately, even though it has managed to wake up, worry, fear and anxiety still appear.

Tok tok tok tok

The door was knocked from the outside. Zee got up to open the door.

Clack

It turns out, it was Amy's mother who knocked on Zee's room door.

"Come in, Bun."

Zee lets Amy's mother into her room. After Amy's mother entered, Zee followed behind Amy's mother who had now been sitting on her bedside.

"Zeez. Mother cannot see you constantly depressed, just because your true desires are not your responsibility either."

Hearing Amy's mother's words, Zee lowered her head. He did not dare to look at the face of the caretaker, whom he already considered to be a biological parent. She never knew her parents, and only had Amy's mother since infancy.

Zee's friends, who were his age in this orphanage, had been taken by many foster parents, who raised the children of the orphanage to be used as foster children or foster children.

Zee was unlucky. Since childhood, he was sickly so that his body was thin. Aspiring foster parents, no one has ever been interested in taking it. That is why, Zee grew up in this orphanage until now.

And even though Zee is no longer sickly, with her body that continues to grow, it makes prospective foster parents not interested in taking it. Most likely because of Zee's appearance, which was never interesting.

"Zeez. I'd better cancel the renovation plan. Mother try to be able to renovate as soon as possible, with the savings of Mother and the remnants of the monthly money of the home, so that everything is completed before the upcoming rainy season."

Zee raised his face in surprise, upon hearing Mother Amy's words. But he hasn't given any response yet.