268-270

Chapter 268 Lingering Heat 

BOOM! Boom boom boom! BOOM! 

The show was over, but the roar of the crowd still surged like crashing waves. A thunderous rumble rolled beneath the sky, making it feel like the world was on the verge of collapsing. And yet, people stood at the edge of that world, dancing in a frenzy, indulging themselves as if there were no tomorrow, no future—just this moment. 

“Oh my God, that was unimaginable…” “My mind’s just... blank.” “Trust me, that was the best performance ever…” “Ahh! AHHHH!” “I’m officially a fan of this band now!” 

The crowd buzzed non-stop with chatter and excitement. The heat of the moment filled the air, turning this early winter night into something that felt like the peak of summer. Nobody needed a coat to stay warm—the sheer passion was enough to keep the cold at bay. People wandered through the heatwave of joy like swimmers in a sunlit sea. 

Every so often, when two strangers locked eyes, they'd smile—even without knowing each other. There was a wordless connection, a spark in the glance, as if they'd just shared a secret only they understood. 

Sophie—who could resist moments like this? Pure, overflowing happiness. That unfiltered kind of joy that takes you back to childhood, when all it took was a lollipop or a toy firetruck to fill an afternoon with wonder. 

“Encore!!” Someone nearby shouted at the top of their lungs, their voice trailing off and rippling through the crowd. It wasn’t long before others picked it up. 

Sophie raised her right hand high, clenched into a fist. “Encore!” she shouted, the word vibrating in her chest. Then she burst into laughter—sweet and carefree—like the sound of tiny bells ringing. She didn’t need a reason to smile. It just came so easily. 

Beside her, Caine looked astonished. It was hard to believe that this cheerful, radiant girl was the same one who had completely broken down crying during the concert. But there were still faint tear tracks on her cheeks—she hadn't had time to wipe them away. 

“What’s wrong?” Sophie noticed his gaze and turned to look at him with a bright smile. 

Caine was startled, quickly waving his hands and shaking his head. “Nothing! Nothing at all.” 

He needed to think fast. “It's just... we already asked for an encore once. Are we going for a second one now?” he blurted out, hoping that would cover for him. 

He peeked at Sophie out of the corner of his eye—she didn’t seem suspicious. He let out a long breath of relief. Close one. 

Sophie was still caught up in the whirlwind of the concert. She might’ve sensed something odd from Caine, but she didn’t think too hard about it. Instead, she lit up with excitement and said, “Of course! A performance like that? One encore isn’t enough! We need another! Encore! Encore! Encore!” 

She threw her hands up, shouting like she was still in the middle of the concert crowd. 

“Encore!” “Encore!” The chants rose from every direction, moving like a wave through the mass of people. Laughter, cheers, and whistles echoed all around. Even though the show was technically over, the party atmosphere refused to die down. 

As they were walking and shouting, someone just ahead suddenly stopped in their tracks, pretending to hold a microphone and throwing their head back dramatically like they were about to belt a high note—but no sound came out. It was like watching a silent movie, and it was hilarious. Laughter bubbled up around them, along with playful teasing and clapping. 

Sophie and Caine paused too, confused at first—then they realized the person was mimicking Ronan’s performance. And they were actually kind of good at it! That realization sent another wave of laughter through Sophie. 

The group of young people spotted Sophie and Caine and immediately started chanting, “One more! Let’s see one more!” 

Caine hesitated, wondering if he should step up—but Sophie beat him to it. She strode forward with a playful toss of her head, then suddenly belted out the chorus from “My Demon”—live and loud, not just miming it. 

One octave— Two octaves! 

Everyone stared, wide-eyed. She might not have been as powerful as Ronan, but Sophie’s voice was stunning in its own right. The crowd erupted in whistles and applause. It felt like a spontaneous encore to the encore—a little after-party outside the venue. 

Sophie laughed joyfully, grabbed Caine’s hand, and took off running, leaving the noise and chaos behind them. 

“Oh my God, I can’t believe that!” Caine was still in shock. “You’ve been hiding that voice this whole time?” 

Sophie gave him a confident smile and tilted her chin. “What if I told you my hobby is doing cover songs? Would you believe me?” 

Caine’s jaw dropped. He looked like his chin might just unhinge from the surprise. Sophie laughed even harder, bright and carefree—just like the night they first met. 

Caine finally pulled himself together and said, “Why wouldn’t I believe you?” 

Sophie’s eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky. 

Then, all of a sudden, she dashed ahead a few steps, spun around, and shouted to him, “I’m heading to a secret base. Want to come with me?” 

Her voice carried on the wind. He couldn’t see her face clearly in the dim night, but the joy in her voice was unmistakable. It sparkled in the dark, making passersby glance her way. 

“Sure!” Caine called back. He didn’t even realize how excited he sounded as he picked up the pace to catch up. 

As they left the crowd behind and slipped into the shadows, it took a while before something finally clicked in Caine’s mind. “Wait... where exactly are we going?” 

Sophie didn’t answer. She just kept leading the way. But it soon became obvious—even she wasn’t quite sure. She was looking around, figuring it out as she went. 

Caine took a moment to look around and realized they hadn’t gone far. They were still near the concert venue, just on a different street, around the back. 

That’s when a sudden, dangerous thought struck him. He grabbed Sophie’s arm. 

“Sophie… don’t tell me your ‘secret base’ is you planning to ambush the band at the backstage door?” 

Chapter 269 – Waiting After the Show 

“You’re not planning to ambush the band at the back entrance, are you, Sophie?” 

A dangerous thought flashed through Cain’s mind, and the moment he said it aloud, he immediately hoped Sophie would deny it. 

But she didn’t. 

“No, not me—us,” Sophie replied, turning back with a cheerful grin dancing in the night air. She made no attempt to hide it, admitting it so boldly that it sent Cain reeling. 

His mouth hung open in shock. For a moment, countless thoughts whirled through his head, but none could be fully formed. He couldn’t believe it—he was actually doing something that only a die-hard fan would do: trying to track the band down after the concert. 

But… why? 

He was just a regular music enthusiast. He didn’t idolize the band beyond their music. He wasn’t interested in seeing them up close. 

And not just this band—any band or artist. Cain’s love for music was pure and simple: buy the albums, go to the concerts, enjoy the art. That was enough. He didn’t want to get too close, didn’t want to risk ruining the image in his mind. Even if it wasn’t disillusioning, it might be too much information, too much reality, and it could mess with his appreciation of their music. 

What if he saw his favorite female singer cursing like a sailor? 

What if he caught his favorite male artist drunk and belligerent? 

Or worse—breaking the law or doing something morally repugnant? 

Even small things—picking their teeth, scratching their feet, wiping off their makeup—just the ordinary parts of daily life. That was their private world. He only cared about their musical talent. 

He didn’t care for gossip or celebrity news—who broke up, who got married, who’s dating whom. That stuff held zero value for him. Getting up close and personal with celebrities? Same thing. No interest. Behind the scenes, they were just regular people. 

And now here he was—heading for the backstage entrance of a concert?! 

No way! 

His first instinct was to turn and run. Every fiber of his being was resisting this, like some invisible alarm was going off. He couldn’t even explain why. It just felt wrong. 

But when he turned around, it was already too late. Sophie was off like a shot. “There! Over there!” she shouted, eyes gleaming, dashing toward the growing crowd. 

Cain stood caught between two worlds—fleeing or following. 

He could’ve just left and let Sophie go on her wild chase. But he didn’t really have time to think it through. Watching her joyful, carefree silhouette vanish into the night, still riding the high from the concert, something stirred in him. This was a side of Sophie he didn’t know—a pure, electric spark, like a fawn leaping into the forest. 

In that fleeting moment, Cain had to make a choice. 

With a long, resigned sigh, he gave in and ran after her. 

He had no choice. He’d promised to stay with her, hadn’t he? He was the one who invited her to the concert in the first place, hoping it would help her move on from her breakup. No matter what, he needed to make sure she got home safe. 

A promise is a promise. 

“Sophie! Wait up!” 

Cain shouted after her, picking up his pace. A burning tightness had started to build in his chest, pushing him to run faster, anxiety rising in his gut. 

But Sophie was oblivious. Her entire world was focused on this moment. Her thoughts were filled with one goal. Her steps were so light it looked like she might take off into the sky. She was completely swept away. 

For Sophie, sneaking backstage to show support for the band wasn’t a new idea—but it wasn’t something she did often. She was still a little unsure of how to get there. But the excitement she felt right now? That was new. That was overwhelming. 

Like a moth to a flame. 

She had just one wish in her heart—to see Ronan and the band up close, just once. She didn’t need a handshake, a signature, a photo. Not even a response. She just wanted to tell them how amazing tonight’s performance was. 

That was all. 

So simple. 

But the stronger the desire, the faster her legs carried her forward, lighter and faster, as if she were racing toward the sun itself. Her whole body felt like it was glowing, like every cell was alive and cheering her on. 

“Ahhh! Ahhh!” 

Her eyes were shining. It was a new sensation—after all the concerts she had attended, this one felt different, like her blood was burning with passion. 

Ahead, she spotted a small crowd—not as massive as the one at the main entrance, but still fifteen or twenty people grouped together, moving in the same direction. Something was happening. Sophie dashed toward them and disappeared into the crowd. 

“Sophie!” 

Cain’s heart sank. He pushed his way through the people, eyes locked on the spot where she vanished. He didn’t have time to hesitate anymore. If he waited, she’d be completely gone. 

He dove into the crowd, trying to follow the flow. He was just about to catch up when a large door suddenly swung open ahead. For the first time, Cain saw it clearly—this was the back entrance. 

WHAM! 

A blast of icy winter air hit him in the face like a snowball to the nose. It was so sudden and raw it knocked the breath out of him. It was late at night, and the chill was unforgiving. 

But there they were—the band. 

Ollie was joking around with Maxime and Wesley, laughing as he pulled his coat tighter. His laughter cut through the cold. The freezing wind didn’t matter—his mood was too good. 

The band had appeared! 

In an instant, the small crowd in front of the door exploded into chaos. Bodies surged forward, voices shouted, and the whole scene blurred into a frenzy of sound and motion. The hazy winter air was suddenly thick with heat and noise, like a powder keg had been lit. 

Sophie and Cain were instantly swallowed up by the surge. They couldn’t even control their own movements. The noise around them was deafening, like cannon blasts against their chests. Cain’s heart was racing, and his mind had completely shut down. 

All they could do was go with the flow, trying to stay upright as the tide carried them forward. 

Chapter 270 – Backdoor Gathering 

“—Hahaha, I told you so—” 

“No, no, no, that’s not how it should be—” 

Chirping voices echoed from deep within the narrow, dim corridor. Leading the way was none other than Olly, animatedly chatting and gesturing to Ronan, Wesley, and the others behind him. His face, radiant with joy, practically glowed even in the poor lighting. Though he turned slightly to speak to the others, his steps didn’t falter in the slightest. 

Then, they stepped from indoors to outdoors—and were immediately hit by a powerful gust of energy surging toward them. 

Olly instinctively turned toward the source of the blast, mid-sentence, only to freeze mid-word. His face transformed instantly—like a Sichuan opera face change—from cheerful to stunned. Caught off guard, his confident demeanor collapsed, and he subconsciously shrank back half a step, eyes wide with shock at the crowd that lay before him. 

But to be honest, Olly wasn’t all that surprised. 

Over the past few shows, fans had started gathering behind the venue after each concert—mostly supporters of Shining Band, but some were also following One-Day King. Everyone was slowly adjusting to the change, though Olly's pace was a bit slower. 

Still, he had improved. At least now he no longer bolted at the sight of fans. But tonight's crowd was... a bit much. Old instincts kicked in before he could stop them. 

He took that half-step back out of habit—then quickly pulled himself together. This time, instead of looking around for a teammate to hide behind, he stepped forward on his own. 

Head down, walking fast—Olly tried to slip past the crowd. As long as he got out of the bottleneck, things would calm down. That tactic had worked plenty of times before. 

But not tonight. 

Just as he moved, he ran straight into a wall of people. A flood of fans surged forward, blocking his escape route. Olly had no choice but to lift his head—and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. 

Ten? Twenty people? 

Not even close. 

Eighty? A hundred? 

Maybe more! 

The thick darkness made it hard to count precisely, but one thing was clear—the crowd had easily passed the triple-digit mark. The wave of fans filled the back alley and spilled out into the night, stretching so far that the end of the line couldn’t be seen. It felt like an endless sea of people. 

The sheer intensity hit like a tidal wave. 

Olly instinctively looked back, trying to find Wesley or Jeremiah. Surely this crowd was here for Shining Band—shouldn’t they be handling the fans? There was no reason for One-Day King’s members to be mobbed like this… right? 

But he had forgotten something very important. 

If these were Shining Band fans, then why were they blocking his way? Before, he’d always been able to walk away without trouble. So why not tonight? 

More importantly—everywhere he looked, fans were calling out his name and the names of the other One-Day King members. The moment someone spotted him, cries of “Olly Love!” started exploding in every direction. Overlapping voices filled the air, impossible to distinguish clearly. 

In the chaos, Olly couldn’t think straight. The only thing in his head was: find help. 

But before he could locate Wesley or Jeremiah, the chants grew louder and more focused. 

“Olly! You were amazing!” 

“Olly! I love you!” 

“Olly! Sign this for me!” 

The voices closed in, becoming clearer and more insistent. The crowd’s faces, lit up by scattered light, grew sharper, and reality yanked Olly’s thoughts back into the moment. 

He stood frozen like a startled hamster, eyes wide, shrinking away as he stared at the crowd like they were aliens. 

Honestly? He’d never seen anything like this before. A handful of fans, maybe five tops—that was his normal. But tonight? It had jumped twenty-fold in one go. 

All these people were here… for him? 

Or rather, for One-Day King? 

That couldn’t be right. 

No way. 

Olly refused to believe it. He scanned the sea of people, trying to find its edge—but the end was nowhere in sight. His mind reeled, caught between awe and disbelief. Was this a beautiful dream, or some strange illusion? Before he could process it, the crowd surged again, pouring toward him in a chaotic wave. 

Olly reflexively stumbled backward, trying to retreat. But there was no room—in just a few steps, he ran into another group pushing forward from behind. 

Was he being ambushed from all sides? 

It was a ridiculous thought, but it was the first one that flashed across his mind. He forgot entirely that the people behind him were his bandmates. All he could think was—people, people, people! There was nowhere to run. The wave of humanity had boxed him in completely. 

“Olly?” 

Ronan’s familiar voice came from behind, and Olly spun around like he’d found a life preserver. He stepped aside, finally making space to breathe again, and realized the crowd behind him was not another wave of fans—they were his teammates. His eyes lit up as he scrambled back toward Ronan with quick little steps, his anxious expression making Ronan chuckle softly. 

“It’s not your first time meeting fans, so why—” 

But Ronan didn’t get to finish. 

“AHHHHH!” 

“AHHHHH!” 

“AHHHHH!” 

The screams hit them like a tsunami—louder, wilder, and more chaotic than the cheers of a concert crowd. At close range, the noise was overpowering. It was a sensory overload, like being thrown headfirst into a hurricane of sound and motion, leaving no room to breathe. 

Scorching. Blazing. Frenzied. 

Sight, sound, touch—and even smell. The wave of pressure crushed down from every direction. The warmth of human presence, the chaotic energy, the crashing decibels—it all hit at once, stunning them completely. 

Twinkling lights painted the night in neon streaks, turning the alley into a second stage. The concert's frenzy hadn’t ended inside the venue—it had spilled out into the night and kept burning brighter. 

No wonder Olly had panicked. 

Even Wesley looked shocked. In all the time they'd been touring, they'd never seen anything like this. 

And Ronan? 

He was surprised too—but unlike Olly, he wasn’t afraid of crowds. He didn’t back down. Instead, he stared wide-eyed into the boiling sea of people. The dazzling smiles and passionate cheers made even the hazy night seem intoxicating. 

The celebration was still going strong. 

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