322-324

Chapter 322 He lowered his gaze. 

Through the soft glow of the light, he looked at her cherry-red lips. All his focus was drawn in by the warmth of her breath, and soon, her breathing became clearer. 

Hoo-ch. Hoo-ch. 

It hit his eardrums like a drum, a booming echo resounding and pulsating. His own heart pounded against his chest like thunder. The world seemed to fall silent, leaving only the rushing roar of blood in his veins, and then... he slowly began to fall. 

Closer. 

Even closer. 

Their breaths intertwined, and he could feel the slight coolness of her nose. In that instant, it felt like eternity. Time and space stood still. 

Shhh. 

The music stopped; the magic was broken. 

A cold draft swept in, instantly interrupting their intertwined, warm breaths. His hazy mind cleared, and his gaze moved up from her lips. Their eyes met, and he saw his reflection in hers. A flash of panic crossed their eyes, and they both backed away instantly. 

Reason had finally won the tug-of-war, pulling emotions back. The physical distance between them grew, air rushed in, and their bubbling thoughts quickly calmed down. They were both briefly flustered and confused, their gazes unfocused and unsure of where to land. 

Frank Ocean's rehearsal stopped without warning. He clearly needed to talk to the crew, and the music had stopped. 

The strange, magical atmosphere instantly vanished, replaced by awkwardness and stiff shyness. But their pounding hearts couldn't settle down. Even without eye contact, they could still feel the intense energy. Their arms, separated by the armrest, seemed to feel each other's body heat. Their hearts skipped a beat before they began to beat even faster. 

Thump! 

Thump! 

His ears were ringing with the thunderous beat of his heart. 

So, where were they in their conversation? 

"Do you have any other questions about today's rehearsal?" Ronan's attempt to change the subject was clumsy, and he knew it. 

But the problem was, he didn't know how to handle the situation, so even though he was incredibly awkward, he had to push through. "The structure of the performance should be clear now, right? The flow of the performance should be fine, too. Is there anything else we need to discuss?" 

Arina was also flustered—unbelievably so. But she was bolder and braver. She forced herself to look up and toward Ronan's profile. She saw his slightly flushed ears, and a mischievous, teasing glint appeared in her eyes. 

So Arina deliberately didn't answer. She just watched Ronan quietly, waiting for him to notice her gaze. 

And it worked! 

Ronan didn't get an answer and turned to look at Arina, only to find her hot gaze waiting for him. He was caught red-handed. His eyes subconsciously drifted upward, avoiding hers. 

But a second later, he realized how flustered he looked, so he adjusted his gaze again and said, "I think your stage presence is excellent. A professional is a professional. My bandmates and I have to practice more to keep up with you." 

This was the truth, the absolute truth. The words were disjointed and nonsensical, but the content was sincere. 

"Oh, thank you," Arina said, her lips curling slightly as she answered casually, making Ronan's compliment seem a bit hollow. 

Ronan realized this, and it was clear Arina was doing it on purpose. He was at a complete disadvantage. 

He wanted to fight back, but... it wasn't his strong suit. Not in this life or the last. He didn't have much experience dealing with women on a one-on-one basis, let alone this kind of intense back-and-forth. And when he was with Arina, he felt a lack of confidence, as if pop music was inferior to classical music, and his old anxieties resurfaced. 

This back-and-forth made it incredibly difficult for Ronan to counterattack. 

More importantly, Arina didn't give Ronan a chance. She watched him intently, and just as he was starting to calm down and regroup, she caught a fleeting moment and spoke again. "What if I told you I only agreed to this collaboration because of someone?" 

What? 

Ronan was speechless. For one, Arina's sudden question came out of nowhere, and he had no idea where the topic came from. For another, he understood the deeper meaning behind her words. She seemed to be hinting at something, and he opened his mouth but couldn't find a response. 

Their eyes met again. 

But this time, there was no ambiguous tension. They exchanged glances through clear eyes, and Ronan caught a mischievous and playful look in the depths of Arina's eyes. Her expression hadn't changed, but it felt as if he could see her lips curling into a smile behind her calm face. 

Then, Arina spoke again, getting ahead of Ronan. "What if I told you I agreed to this collaboration because I saw your name?" 

Boom! 

Arina revealed the answer directly. She paused for a moment, her eyes searching Ronan's for a reaction. They both seemed to be frozen, their bodies and eyes unmoving, unable to react immediately. 

In fact, Arina was also a bit flustered—because this wasn't the scenario she had imagined. From Ronan's reaction to her own racing heart, none of it was what she had planned. She had the urge to flee, but Arina, who had weathered countless storms, forced herself to stay calm. 

Her thoughts were in chaos, and she couldn't think straight. She just followed her impulse and spoke again. 

"What I mean is, maybe you think I agreed to this collaboration out of condescension, but that's not the case. I like your music. Genuinely. I can feel the power of your scars behind your notes, and I can feel the power of sunshine in your lyrics. I like your music." 

Arina was serious. 

Ronan's lips curled into a slight smile. "I didn't think you were being condescending." He said with a sincere look in his eyes, "I can see the sincerity in your eyes." 

Arina's eyes relaxed a bit, and a smile formed on her lips. She blurted out, "Thank you. I like you." 

Boom! 

That one sentence set off a bomb in both their minds. What did that mean? Did it just mean "I like you as a friend," or something more? 

But at that moment, their brains couldn't process it. All they heard was a loud ringing in their ears, a sudden, explosive thunderclap. It was so abrupt that both Ronan and Arina were frozen in place. 

Time, once again, stood still. 

Chapter 323: A Flutter in the Heart 

“Thank you. I like you.” 

The words hit like a bolt of lightning, a sudden, turbulent wave. Time stood still for a moment. 

What did that mean? 

Was it a "thank you for your kind words, so I like you" kind of like? Or a "I'm happy to be collaborating with you, and I really like this project" kind of like? Or was it "thank you for writing a song with so much emotional weight that I could relate to it"? Or... did it mean something else entirely? 

When the words "thank you" and "like" collided, the possible interpretations became confusing. The context made it even harder to figure out the true meaning, and it was easy to get lost in the chaos. 

Their gazes locked. 

For a moment, they just stared at each other, their eyes searching for a hint of emotion. They tried to find a clue to the other's reaction, but it wasn't easy because their frantic, pounding hearts were consuming all their attention. 

Thump! 

Thump! 

Thump-thump-thump! 

The beat grew faster, stronger, and clearer, echoing in their minds. Their concentration was shot, and they struggled to keep their composure. Even so, they couldn't look away. 

His reflection stared back at him in her clear, bright eyes. The subtle panic and nervousness in his own expression made his breathing quicken. 

His mind was completely blank, with only the honest, trembling rhythm of his heart to tell the story. 

A moment felt like an eternity. 

Just then, a loud, piercing feedback screech came from the speakers. It startled everyone in the venue. People instinctively covered their ears to protect their eardrums. Time, which had been frozen, started moving again, and the subtle, ambiguous sound of their heartbeats was instantly drowned out by the noise. 

Just like that, the moment was gone, dissolving into thin air. 

"Sorry, sorry, my bad," Frank Ocean's voice came through the mic. "We had a little accident with the speakers. I'm really sorry. Hope your eardrums are okay." 

Ronan's eyes darted toward the stage, then back again. His gaze found a flustered Alena. As their eyes met again, they both saw the embarrassment and panic in the other's expression, and a faint smile touched their lips. 

It was a little absurd. 

And a little funny. 

But the smile only lasted a moment before a shy, rosy blush lightly dusted Alena's face, like a snow lotus being kissed by a soft pink hue, making her look both delicate and radiant. 

Alena felt a bit embarrassed, aware of her flustered state, but she didn't shy away. She looked at Ronan with an open, confident expression that seemed to say, "What? Never seen me blush before?" 

That frank and confident demeanor, in turn, made Ronan feel shy again. 

This time, the feeling didn't last long, as Curtis Dean appeared in their line of sight. He looked annoyed as he spoke to Ronan. 

"I'm ready to leave." 

It was a command, with the unspoken message that they should leave with him. Curtis continued to grumble. 

"You saw Frank Ocean's performance. His stage presence and charisma are excellent. Even though his vocal skills are nowhere near yours—not even in the same league—you guys still need to practice your live performance a lot more. Otherwise, your performance at the awards show could be a disaster." 

Without another word, Curtis walked away, not waiting for Ronan's response. 

Cliff and the others looked at Curtis's retreating back, a mix of surprise, shock, and panic on their faces. The three of them exchanged a glance before slowly standing up. Cliff hurried after Curtis, and Maxim stood in the aisle, unsure what to do. 

Olly walked over to Ronan, politely nodding to Alena, and asked in a low voice, "What's up with Curtis? Should we leave?" 

The flirtatious atmosphere had completely vanished, as if a tornado had swept through, unceremoniously scattering all their emotions. The space suddenly felt crowded, and Ronan didn't know where to look. 

He quickly glanced at Alena, his eyes holding a hint of apology, then looked at Olly. "We should go back. We need to practice." 

"Oh. Okay." Olly didn't ask for a reason. He simply did what Ronan said. He nodded in agreement and walked over to Maxim, who was still standing there. Olly's eyes widened. "What's wrong? Aren't you leaving? Ronan said we're going back to practice." 

Maxim ignored Olly, his eyes shifting between Ronan and Alena with a knowing look. 

Ronan noticed Maxim's gaze and met his eyes. He saw Maxim's amused, half-smiling expression, as if he were teasing him. Despite Ronan's best efforts to stay calm, he couldn't quite meet his gaze and looked away awkwardly. 

Maxim seemed to have discovered something new. He let out a satisfied chuckle, then turned his attention to a completely confused Olly, motioning for him to leave. 

"Damn it." 

Ronan was annoyed by his own reaction. His already flustered state became even more chaotic. He quickly glanced at Alena again. 

Alena was still looking at him calmly and confidently, her bright eyes seeming to take in his every panicked movement. 

Then, his mind went blank. "Cough, cough," Ronan cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I need to go back and practice with the band. Otherwise, our collaboration might be a mess." 

Damn it! What a ridiculous thing to say! It was completely inappropriate, but for some reason, that was the only thing his brain could come up with. He just blurted it out, completely against his own better judgment. What was wrong with him? 

But there was no turning back now. He had no choice but to push through it. 

"So, I have to go now. What about you?" Ronan forced a smile, but the curve of his lips was strained, as if gravity were pulling them down. 

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. I know how to get back." Alena tried her best to sound relaxed and cheerful, but the tension she felt made her words sound flat and devoid of any easygoing charm. She was also overwhelmed with annoyance. 

As Ronan stood up, Alena did the same. If Ronan wanted to leave, he would have to walk right past her. How were they supposed to handle that? 

Suddenly, both of their IQs seemed to drop to zero, leaving them completely flustered and unsure what to do. 

Chapter 324 – Distracted and Confused 

It was as if, all of a sudden, both Ronan and Alina had completely lost their wits. Clearly, all Alina had to do was step aside into the hallway to make room so Ronan could easily pass through. But instead, the two of them clumsily got stuck in place, like two brown bears about to start waltzing. 

So… what exactly was going on? 

Standing in their original positions, Alina tried stepping back to make space, while Ronan attempted to squeeze past her sideways—but the space was just too narrow. They gave up, tried again, back and forth like this two or three times, until finally, Ronan forced his way through sideways. 

Their bodies brushed—softness meeting firmness—creating a delicate yet awkward moment filled with strange tension. It felt like there was a faint smell of sparks in the air, the prickling sensation of static electricity dancing across their skin. Goosebumps rose uninvited, and their hearts were once again thrown into disarray. 

But this time, neither of them dared to look up. Both lowered their gazes, focusing intently on hiding their emotions. Finally, Ronan made it into the hallway. It took several beats longer than it should have before he realized— 

There had been a much easier, simpler solution. So why had they gone through all that? 

Realizing this, Ronan quickly glanced at Alina and caught her awkwardly avoiding his eyes—though she too was sneaking glances at him from the corner of her eye. Their eyes met briefly, then darted away, but in that short moment, a silent understanding passed between them. Both of their lips curled into small smiles again. 

“Ahem.” Ronan cleared his throat unconsciously. “Well then, I’ll be going now. Time to get back to rehearsal. Looking forward to our next run-through.” 

He turned to leave but paused after just a step, as if something was left unsaid. He stepped back slightly, hesitated, scratched the back of his head, then finally walked off again—for real this time. 

Alina was just the same. She looked up, looked down, then up again, caught in hesitation, unsure what exactly she was hesitating about. Watching Ronan’s figure grow smaller in the distance, she suddenly called out impulsively, “Good luck with rehearsal!” 

Hearing her voice, Ronan stopped and turned around, clearly surprised—but then his lips curved up once more, and he nodded in response. “Thanks.” Without another word, he turned back and walked away. 

It wasn’t until Ronan’s figure joined Ollie and Maxim’s and disappeared into the shadows that Alina finally looked away. She let out a quiet sigh, covering her face with one hand. 

“Oh God…” 

What had she just done? And what had just happened? How had things escalated like that? Her mind was a complete mess—she couldn’t make sense of anything. All she could think was how foolish she must have looked. If only she could rewind time... 

“Ugh…” 

She let out another soft groan, gently tapping her head. She definitely needed to calm down. 

At the same time, Ronan tapped his own forehead and let out a soft, frustrated groan. 

“Ugh…” 

Ollie and Maxim both looked over in confusion. “What’s wrong?” 

Ronan didn’t respond right away, the words stuck on the tip of his tongue. Why had he been so dumb? He didn’t even think to offer Alina a ride—they could’ve seen her safely back to the hotel. That’s what a gentleman would’ve done. Instead, he’d just turned and walked off like an idiot. Even as just friends, that was seriously lacking. 

Should he go back now? 

But thinking back to the chaotic moment they’d just had, Ronan’s mind was a whirlwind of question marks. He couldn’t recall any of the details clearly—only the confusion, her reactions, his reactions, the strange chemistry between them… What was even going on? 

The more he thought about it, the more uncertain he became. 

“Ronan?” Ollie called again when he didn’t get an answer. Finally, Ronan snapped out of it. 

“Oh, nothing,” he said, brushing it off. Since he’d already missed the moment, going back now would only make things more awkward. Better to just let it go. “I just… realized I never said goodbye to Frank Ocean. Kind of rude. But I’m sure he’ll understand.” 

He pulled out an excuse. 

Maxim gave Ronan a long, knowing look, his eyes full of curiosity. 

Ronan pretended not to notice and strode forward to catch up with Curtis and Cliff. 

Left behind, Maxim saw the questioning look in Ollie’s eyes and said with a cryptic smile, “I used to think Ronan was a saint. But now, I see—he’s just a man.” 

A saint—unshakable, driven solely by dreams, charging down the road toward musical glory without distraction or hesitation. 

A man—just an ordinary guy. 

Maxim’s words were laced with subtext. He’d clearly picked up on something. 

But Ollie misunderstood. “A man” could also just mean a regular person—someone who gets tired, makes mistakes, and gets nervous. So he interpreted Maxim’s comment as referring to stage anxiety. 

“It’s because he cares. That’s why he’s nervous,” Ollie said earnestly. “Ronan just wants us to give our best performance on the Grammy stage. We all need to be a little nervous going into practice.” 

Totally talking past each other. 

Maxim didn’t bother to explain. He just nodded slightly. “True. We should all be nervous. Who knows? Ronan might be the one most likely to mess up.” 

And Maxim had a point. 

Ronan really was feeling scattered—not anxious or agitated, just overwhelmed by a flood of thoughts he couldn’t control. He couldn’t focus. On the way back to the hotel, he was completely zoned out, lost in a swirl of mental static. 

To prepare for the Grammys, Atlantic Records had arranged hotel accommodations and rehearsal space for the band. For the next week, they’d be holed up practicing nonstop until the awards ceremony was over. 

Even though they were back in L.A., no one had time to go home. After that morning’s rehearsal, they were headed straight to the hotel to begin practicing. 

Even Cliff noticed Ronan was distracted. It was completely out of character, and he had no idea why. He shot a questioning look at Ollie and Maxim. Ollie just looked confused, but Maxim responded like some cryptic fortune teller: 

“This is one of those problems no one else can fix. There’s no solution, no help. It makes your head spin and your heart race. Unless he wakes up on his own, there’s nothing we can do.” 

Cliff was completely baffled.