Chapter 200: The Magic on Stage

"Yeaaaaah!"

"Traaaaaang!"

Right after, the entire room fell dead silent, but it didn’t last long.

"Uoooooh... so cool!" Everyone in the massive venue burst into cheers, especially fans of the band that had just finished performing. Backstage, Eric, dressed in his signature black jacket over a black t-shirt and black jeans, stood ready with his bass in hand. He glanced over at Laura, who looked completely relaxed, mouthing a count as she tapped her drumsticks together in rhythm with the track they were about to play.

When Eric looked over at Billy and Wendy, however, both appeared completely stiff. They looked eager to step onto the stage, but at the exact same time, they were so visibly nervous that Eric could see Billy’s hands trembling on his guitar, while Wendy held her hands tightly clenched into fists.

"Hey... hey... don’t tell me you two are getting cold feet at the very last second," Eric said. Laura turned to look at the pair as well.

"Uh... I’m not like you, man. You’ve already gone viral... when I stop to think about it... this is the first time Wendy and I have ever performed on a stage this huge," Billy said.

"Then stop thinking. Come on, the last act is heading down. It’s our turn now, get ready for the queue," Eric replied.

"Man... how do you stay so calm?" Billy countered.

"He’s always like that. Relax, I’m feeling a little tense too," Laura chimed in, trying to lighten the mood.

Billy and Wendy looked over at Laura, who seemed entirely unfazed, just mouthing numbers to count the beat like she was rehearsing a pattern.

"Uh... you look pretty relaxed yourself," Wendy said, her face pale.

Before anyone else could utter another word, someone tapped the microphone on stage a few times, and the roaring crowd began to settle down.

"Alright, up next, we have an instrumental collaboration featuring Eric Reed and Laura, the drummer from The Empress! Please give a warm welcome to... the Street Couple!"

Hearing the announcement out front, Billy and Wendy froze on the spot like wooden posts. Eric turned to them.

"Let’s go... that’s our cue," Eric said.

"Uh... right," Billy snapped back to reality.

"Come on... if you guys get nervous, you’re gonna make me nervous too," Laura said.

"Uh," Billy and Wendy turned even stiffer. But watching Eric and Laura stride forward, the two exchanged a glance. Then, "slap," both slapped their own cheeks before stepping out from backstage. Moving onto the stage, Billy took in the massive crowd packing the floor right in front of them. The audience sat in absolute silence, save for a faint, unintelligible murmur ripple across the floor.

Billy and Wendy quickly took their designated positions, Billy standing up front beside Eric, and Wendy taking her spot behind the keyboard not far from Laura’s drum kit. Once everyone was set, Eric stepped forward and took the mic.

"Good evening, everyone! As the host of tonight’s Elliot’s Production grand opening concert, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you for coming out to support us," Eric said into the mic.

"Just play already, Eric!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Got it! Tonight, I’m collaborating with our new stars, beside me is Billy, and on the keyboard is Wendy. They are the Street Couple!" Eric shouted, introducing them.

"Uooooooh!"

"Bring on the music!"

As the roaring crowd gradually quieted back down, Eric nodded at Billy to launch into his solo. Billy, who had been stiff just moments earlier, returned the nod with a smile and raised his hands.

"Pling... trang... treng!"

Without missing a beat, Billy unleashed his melody, a rift using only a handful of chords, yet raw and powerful, sending a fresh wave crashing across the entire room. The audience fell silent, completely mesmerized by Billy’s guitar solo. Then, "dung... tung... crash," Laura dropped in right alongside Eric’s bass, followed by Wendy weaving her keyboard solo into Billy’s guitar line. The track fused into a single, cohesive wall of sound that flowed aggressively without anyone racing ahead.

Standing up front, Eric smiled as he took in the stunned, awe-struck faces of the audience. His eyes then drifted up to the second-floor VIP section, where he spotted Caleb, Avery holding baby Abby, Katie, Anthony, Sarah, and Robert sitting together with several executives. Caleb’s face looked visibly stressed because Eric had changed the setlist on a whim, whereas Anthony was grooving along, thoroughly enjoying the melodic arrangement nobody had ever heard before, a piece Eric had improvised back in the hospital.

Eric’s gaze then swept across the front row of the crowd, catching sight of Melissa staring right back at him. To his slight surprise, Melissa wasn’t alone; she had come with Norman, dressed in civilian clothes and looking unexpectedly handsome. Eric then glanced toward the entrance, spotting Martin standing by the doors. Even from a distance, Eric could see him wiping his eyes, likely brought to tears watching Eric perform on such a grand stage, far exceeding anything he had ever imagined.

Taking in the entire scene and watching the audience fall completely under their spell, Eric felt a surge of energy. After five solid minutes of continuous melodic play, Eric glanced back at Billy, turned to Laura, and gave a firm nod. "Trek... tek... trek," Laura acknowledged his cue by tapping her drumsticks together right as the final notes faded. Eric, Billy, and Wendy bowed to the crowd.

"Uooooh... so cool... that was amazing... encore... encore!"

The crowd instantly exploded into wild cheers. Out of breath, Billy stared out at the sea of fans cheering for him. A smile broke across his once-tense face, and his shoulders finally relaxed. He turned to glance at his wife, Wendy, who had clearly shaken off her own nerves long before him and was now soaking in every second.

"Alright, for our next act, allow me to present one more song. This time, representing The Empress, I will be performing their brand-new track!"

At Eric’s words, Billy and Wendy whipped their heads around to stare at him, completely caught off guard by the unscripted announcement. Chloe then stepped onto the stage, immediately exchanging a high-five with Laura. Eric handed his bass over to Chloe, while Priya and Heidi joined them on stage, wheeling Monica out in her wheelchair. They quietly lined up near the edge of the stage, leaving the audience murmuring in curiosity.

Up in the VIP section, Caleb slapped a hand over his forehead and slumped down into his seat, prompting an annoyed glare from Avery, who ordered him to sit up straight. Billy and Wendy were still staring at Eric when suddenly, "dung... trak... crash," Laura slammed into the opening drum fill, followed closely by Chloe on bass. Eric turned to Billy with a warm smile and a nod. Eric had trusted that Billy could pick up a guitar line that fit seamlessly with The Empress’s newest track, and Wendy would follow suit.

His calculations were spot on. Billy fell into the intro with a smooth guitar line alongside Wendy. Despite the initial tension on their faces, their playing held its own right beside Priya and Heidi. Eric nodded along in front of the mic, taking in the crowd once more.

"We are different now... before we were always alone, and now... we have each other..."

Eric sang the secondary vocal line before unhooking the mic from its stand and walking over to Monica. He held the mic down to her, and Monica took over the lead vocals directly from her wheelchair, with Priya and Heidi backing her up as the chorus.

The energy on stage turned electric, radiating a musical aura that resonated deep within every listener. Not a single person in the audience made a sound, and even the VIP section sat frozen in astonishment, save for Caleb, who looked completely stressed out while Avery continually nudged his elbow to keep him from making a face.

The heavy yet fluid melody flowed smoothly like a river, carrying the alternating vocal lines between Eric and Monica through the entire venue until it drew to a close four minutes later. As the final drum stroke signaled the end, the room plunged into an absolute hush, as if time itself had stopped. Billy swallowed hard, turning to look at Wendy, who was panting heavily and just as wound up as he was. But all at once,

"Holy crap... that was insane... uooooh!"

An unknown voice from the middle of the crowd broke the silence, triggering a sudden, deafening roar across the venue, twice as loud as before, as fans screamed toward the stage with pure passion. Eric broke into a wide smile. He tapped the mic once more, bringing the noise down to a manageable hum.

"Thank you! That was our performance for tonight. Next up... please welcome tonight’s main event, a four-member idol group performing a brand-new track that promises to be every bit as explosive as what you just heard. Give it up for the grand debut of... Nobelia!" Eric shouted into the mic.

From behind the stage, Emma, Ruby, Jade, and Tania strode out. Eric passed his mic to Emma, giving her a supportive nod and a warm smile.

"Good luck, babe," Eric whispered.

"Thanks, babe. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got," Emma replied with a smile.

Eric made his exit alongside Billy, Wendy, Monica, who was being wheeled off by Heidi and Priya, Laura, and Chloe. The crowd in front fell quiet as they took in the four stunning girls standing before them in matching outfits that showed just a hint of skin. Emma stepped up to the front, drew a deep breath, and exhaled, sending a loud rush of air through the mic that made the audience gasp.

"Oops... sorry about that, turns out I’m a little nervous, hahaha," Emma said casually with a sweet smile.

The audience burst into laughter and cheers before settling down once again. Emma stepped forward once more, followed by Ruby, Jade, and Tania.

"Hello, everyone! Thank you so much, and we’re so thrilled to perform in front of all of you tonight. First off, my name is Emerald," Emma said, passing the mic over to Ruby.

"Hai...i’m Ruby!" Ruby added, waving before handing the mic to Jade.

"I’m Jade!," Jade added waving before passing the mic along to Tania.

"Hello... I’m Sapphire!" Tania said, waving, thenpassing the mic back down the line until it landed back with Emma.

"And together, we are..." Emma called out.

"Nobelia!" Emma, Ruby, Jade, and Tania shouted in unison, raising their hands with beaming smiles that completely captivated the crowd.