250-252

Chapter 250: Brilliant Wit 

Even though he quickly took his seat and refrained from further exposing his own insecurities, Cliff realized his impulsive outburst had already betrayed his inner unease. He felt the need to explain himself to Jimmy. 

“My height isn’t an issue—I’m serious. I don’t have any kind of complex. I’m absolutely not…” 

Tom Cruise. 

But he didn’t finish that sentence. Cliff forced himself to swallow the words. He definitely didn’t want to take an unnecessary jab at Tom Cruise. 

Both Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. are well-known as shorter Hollywood actors. Their listed heights are 173 cm and 174 cm respectively, though those figures are widely believed to be inflated. In reality, both men are under 170 cm. 

Subjectively, Hollywood tends to dismiss the importance of height—after all, on-screen charisma doesn’t depend on how tall you are. But objectively, height does influence perception. Even if people don’t say it aloud, the visual difference is hard to ignore, and there’s always that subtle shift in how onlookers respond. 

When Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise divorced, both publicly claimed it was an amicable split. Yet, Nicole once said in an interview that she was finally free to wear high heels whenever she wanted. She didn’t spell it out, but the message between the lines was crystal clear— 

By the way, Nicole Kidman is 180 cm tall. 

Even though Cliff managed to stop himself just in time, Jimmy caught the unspoken subtext. They shared a look of mutual understanding, and the atmosphere finally relaxed. 

A grin tugged at the corners of Cliff’s mouth. “It’s just that the others are so tall. Whenever we take a group photo, it looks like I’m standing in a hole or something—it gives people the wrong impression, like I’m super short.” 

“Cliff, what’s your height?” Jimmy asked directly. 

Cliff hesitated, “One seventy... nine.” 

“Whoa, so Ronan’s over 190 then?” Jimmy jumped in, not to question Cliff, but to poke fun at the obviously inflated number by comparing him to Ronan. 

Cliff looked helpless. In truth, he was 175 cm—not tall, but not particularly short either. It’s just that the other three members of the band were really tall, making the difference stark. 

Jimmy left it at that and didn’t continue teasing Cliff—after all, it wasn’t a big deal. “So where were we?” 

“Jimmy, are you serious right now?” Ronan didn’t follow the topic change. Instead, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “This is our first time on a talk show—technically, our first time on TV—and you want to focus on our looks? I think we might have a bit of a misunderstanding.” 

The unspoken message was: One Day Kings isn’t just a bunch of pretty faces. 

Jimmy laughed, “Yeah, I think we might be on different pages here. This is the Jimmy Feather Show, not Oprah. I don’t care about your album.” 

The audience erupted in laughter and applause. 

Up until that moment, Ronan had been steering the show’s direction. But now, Jimmy scored a point, evening the score between them. 

So, how would Ronan respond? 

He tilted his head, stood up, and pretended to get ready to leave. “Hmm, this is awkward. We thought this was a professional show, but apparently, the host didn’t even do his homework. We’re a four-member band, not a five-member boy group.” 

A five-member boy group with good looks? Was that a veiled reference to someone? 

Could it be... the globally touring boy band One Direction? 

Ronan didn’t name names, but Jimmy immediately picked up on the implication. After just poking fun at Tom Cruise—who no doubt wouldn’t appreciate the joke—it was probably not wise to stir things up again. 

One Direction was at the height of their fame, with a massive fanbase. They’d effectively taken over from Justin Bieber and the Twilight trio as the biggest teen idols in North America. 

Jimmy had no interest in stirring that hornet’s nest. 

“Easy there!” Jimmy waved his hands, motioning Ronan to sit down. “I’ll prove I did my homework. We all know that anyone who can discuss songwriting with Bruno isn’t just anybody. So, is that why you don’t like bringing up Bruno’s name?” 

In a full circle, Jimmy brought the topic back to Bruno Mars—a safe, solid move. 

Ronan didn’t answer right away. He glanced at Cliff, saw that Cliff wasn’t going to speak, and then responded himself. 

“Of course, working with a producer of Bruno’s caliber comes with pressure. But he’s not the strict, hard-driving type. He’s more the kind who endlessly polishes the details. Which means—yeah, he has really high standards.” 

Jimmy lifted his chin, teasing, “So what you’re saying is, Bruno’s the kind of guy who gets picky over every little thing?” 

It was a deliberate joke—it was a talk show after all, not a music masterclass. 

Ronan didn’t deny it. “Shhh, we’re not supposed to say his name out loud. The Mystery Man.” 

Just moments ago, they were having a serious discussion about music, and now the conversation flipped back to full-on entertainment. The audience was still fully hooked. 

A smile appeared on Jimmy’s face—finally, the tense moment earlier had passed. “So, how did you guys first get on Bruno’s radar and end up as his opening act? A lot of people are curious about that.” 

Ronan didn’t answer. He handed the floor over to Maxime and Cliff. 

Cliff took the lead while Maxime chimed in with extra details. Together, they told the full story of that night in Las Vegas—giving the audience their first real look behind the scenes. 

“You mean, you were about to give up, and right before that happened, Bruno’s tour manager discovered you on YouTube? That sounds familiar.” Jimmy said with a knowing tone. 

Cliff and Maxime didn’t catch the implication, but Ronan did. He smiled knowingly. “Jimmy, you’re walking a dangerous line.” 

Justin Bieber. 

Jimmy was hinting at how Bieber rose to fame via YouTube. But Ronan wasn’t eager to go there. Partly because of Scooter Braun, and partly because they’d already touched on Tom Cruise and indirectly mentioned One Direction. If they brought up Bieber too, One Day Kings might end up looking like just another teen idol group. 

The audience didn’t grasp the subtle back-and-forth, but the result was clear—Jimmy raised both hands in mock surrender. 

Ronan had taken the upper hand again. 

Chapter 251: A Full House of Applause 

"Jimmy, your way of thinking is dangerous." 

Ronan’s words carried a weighty smirk that set off another ripple of quiet laughter throughout the studio—clearly, a few sharp-eared audience members had caught the YouTube jab. But even for those who didn’t quite get the reference, the rapid-fire back-and-forth between Ronan and Jimmy was entertaining enough on its own. 

Just as Ronan seemed to reclaim the upper hand, Jimmy reminded everyone why he's a seasoned pro. He threw up his hands and declared: 

“Welcome to the most dangerous show in late-night television. Didn’t you do your homework? That’s the reputation I’ve earned!” 

Counterattack! 

With that smooth deflection, Jimmy subtly reminded everyone who really ran the show. After all, it was his stage, his turf. 

Sure enough, the studio audience—all fans of Jimmy—instinctively rallied behind their favorite host. Cheers and whistles erupted like popcorn in a hot pan, filling the air with contagious excitement. Not a single soul was worried about a dull moment. 

And how did One Day King respond? 

Ronan raised his hands in surrender, widened his eyes in mock terror, and exclaimed: 

“Oh my god, now I finally understand why they call Hollywood the Amazon jungle. I should’ve worn a bulletproof vest! Where’s my helmet?!” 

💥 BOOM! 

The audience exploded. 

Clapping, whistling, laughter—some fans even stood up and gave Ronan a big ol’ thumbs-up. A masterclass in comedic timing and improvisation. 

Even Jimmy had to applaud him. He turned to the crowd with a grin and said: 

“I think we’ve just witnessed the birth of a superstar.” Then to the band: “If you hadn’t shown up tonight, now that would’ve been the real loss.” 

Now that’s classic Jimmy Kimmel—graceful under pressure, always ready with a counter, never one to let things get personal. A little praise for the band, a little sparkle for his own show. 

He gave the audience a confused look. “Wait… where were we again?” 

Cliff couldn’t resist, “Is forgetfulness a part of your hosting style?” 

Cue another round of chuckles. 

Jimmy nodded solemnly, “That’s why there are so many staff watching from the sides. They’re more terrified than you are.” 🤣 Audience loses it again. 

Then Jimmy brought it back on track, “You mentioned that before Bruno found you, the band was ready to call it quits?” 

The band suddenly fell silent, casting glances at one another. Even Cliff, usually quick-witted, hesitated. 

Jimmy smirked, “What’s wrong? Got a problem with your host?” 

More laughs. 

Ronan noticed Cliff’s uncertainty. Their band’s journey wasn’t easy to explain—so many ups and downs. They’d rehearsed how to talk about it, but the real thing hit different. Someone had to step up. 

Ronan did. 

“We’ve been together seven years,” he began calmly. “There were moments when it seemed like we were close—record deals, agents—but none of it worked out.” 

“We never gave up. We performed at night, worked during the day…” Ronan paused, keeping it light. But Jimmy honed in. 

“You guys worked jobs?” 

Ronan nodded. “Yeah. All four of us. Gas stations, restaurants, tutoring. Cliff even tried real estate for a bit. We did whatever we could to survive while still chasing our dream. If it paid and was legal, we considered it. When you're desperate, you search for every sliver of opportunity.” 

His words weren’t dramatic, but their simplicity hit hard. The studio went quiet—this wasn’t just a feel-good story. It was real. 

👏👏👏 Spontaneous applause broke out. 

Ronan smiled shyly and waved it off. “It’s not a big deal. We just… followed our passion. We made a choice and we accepted what came with it. That’s all.” 

That kind of wisdom hits deep. Everyone knows the words—but how many live them without regrets? 

Suddenly, Ronan turned and cracked, “Wait, this isn’t The Oprah Winfrey Show! Are we on the edge of danger or are we… Oprah? Oprah Winfrey, please take off your mask.” 

Then he dramatically turned to Jimmy. 

Jimmy played right along—pretending to rip off a face mask and pulling a goofy “my-eyes-are-falling-out” expression. The studio erupted again. 

🔥 Perfect chemistry. 

Ronan had made a clever jab at how the show had unexpectedly veered into emotional territory—Oprah-style—while still keeping things hilarious. 

Even the show’s director in the control room, who had stayed serious the entire time, was now leaning forward with focused excitement. He couldn’t relax until the taping wrapped, but it was clear—this episode was hitting all the right notes. 

Chapter 252: From the Heart 

Ronan's self-deprecating humor wasn’t just to lighten the atmosphere or add entertainment value—it was also his unique way of storytelling. On a talk show, you can't simply narrate events in a straightforward manner. After all, the essence of a talk show is entertainment, where rhythm and delivery are everything. 

Cliff's silence was also rooted in this understanding—he lacked confidence in his own storytelling skills and was afraid he'd just end up dryly recounting events without flair. 

Watching Ronan navigate the stage with such ease only confirmed to Cliff that taking a step back had been the right call. 

“What I mean is, we’ve definitely gone through tough times and low points—but that’s life. We’re not the only ones, and at least we’re happy.” Ronan smoothly transitioned back into the story, glancing around at his bandmates. 

“I remember this one time when we hit rock bottom again, and the four of us were washing cars at a gas station—you know, like in those Hollywood movies, jumping out to stop cars and offering car washes that no one asked for. Clearly, we weren’t the kind of car wash guys truck drivers liked.” 

Laughter exploded. 

“So yeah, our comedy almost turned into a crime movie—like one of those dark Coen brothers' films. I doubt anyone would’ve gone to see that black-and-white western, but…” 

The audience roared. 

Ronan’s vivid, imaginative comparisons completely cracked up the crowd. Even the band members were stunned, and Ollie was practically rolling on the floor laughing—fortunately, in the roar of the audience, his wild laugh didn’t stand out too much. Still, Jimmy gave him a side glance. 

The laughter briefly interrupted Ronan, who chuckled along before continuing, “But honestly, we were happy—not because of the struggle, but because we had each other through it. We faced the hardship together and chased our dreams—that’s the real blessing.” 

Jimmy nodded in agreement, but as a seasoned host, he always had a different angle. “I can imagine you guys washing cars, but I just can't picture Maxime…” 

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Watch your words!” 

“Jimmy!” 

Not only did Ronan and Cliff speak up, even Maxime chimed in—cheekily backing himself. The whole stage descended into playful chaos, and the audience couldn’t stop laughing. 

It took Jimmy a moment to regain control. He rubbed the tight muscles in his face and slumped into his chair, utterly defeated. “I feel like I just opened Pandora’s box.” 

The entire band of One Day Kings burst into wild laughter, clapping and hooting. 

Jimmy sat back up, smiling as he turned to Ronan. “Now you’re going to tell me you actually considered giving up? I don’t buy it.” 

Ronan responded with a smile, “If we had, we wouldn’t be sitting here today.” That was his way of answering Jimmy’s teasing. “But at the time, we really couldn’t see the future clearly. We did think about quitting. A producer once told us it was the smart thing to do. He said we weren’t cut out for the music industry, that we had no talent—and that kind of thing really made us doubt ourselves.” 

“Maybe our persistence was just foolish. Maybe we really didn’t belong in music.” 

Time had passed, and Ronan could now talk about it openly, even on national television—which showed that he had come to peace with himself. 

Still, there was an unmistakable trace of bitterness and longing in his words. The same emotion lingered in the eyes of the other three bandmates. After all, the band still hadn’t been embraced by the public, still struggled to move forward in their dreams, and was still waiting for recognition. 

Ronan didn’t linger too long in that moment. He shifted gears and continued, “And it was in that moment that Chasing the Light was born.” 

As he spoke, Ronan adjusted his sitting posture, crossing his right leg over his left knee. His tall, graceful figure exuded a quiet elegance that effortlessly drew the audience’s attention. 

“Life works like this—you wake up, drive to work or a part-time job for four hours, eat, work another four hours, eat again, drive home, sleep. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday—the same rhythm repeats.” 

His words pulled Jimmy into contemplation. He responded, almost absentmindedly, “Isn’t it the same for artists?” 

“Of course.” Ronan nodded, “Take your show—Monday through Saturday. The guests might change, but the rhythm and routine stay the same. Every day, you have to brainstorm, think through interviews and segments, again and again.” 

“Creation becomes a loop.” 

Jimmy opened his mouth to respond or disagree, but found himself speechless. The words caught in his throat. Before he could think of a good counterpoint, Ronan had already moved on, cutting through with unstoppable momentum. 

“Often, we don’t even notice how time slips by—and suddenly, most of our life is already gone.” 

“But I’ve always believed life has meaning—even in repetitive, mechanical days. Deep down, we’re all chasing some kind of light. That light might be love, it might be our children, it might be the joy of dessert—but one thing’s for sure: we’re all chasing the light.” 

“If we gave up on our dream of music, would life really be any different?” 

“I think the answer is no. Even if it wasn’t music, even if it were another way of living, we’d still be chasing our own light. So now that we’ve found it, and we’ve chased it for seven years—why not keep going?” 

At this point, Ronan turned toward the audience with a gentle smile. “Honestly, just being here tonight is already a miracle for our band. But we’re still on the path toward that light.” 

“Maybe we’ll never make it. Maybe two months from now, you’ll all forget a band named One Day Kings ever performed on The Jimmy Feathers Show. But I truly believe—we are all chasing the light. Everyone is. And even if you forget our band, I hope you won’t forget to keep running. Be your own king, even if only for a day.” 

Thunderous applause! 

Roaring applause! 

You could visibly see audience members standing up, moved beyond words. The emotion in the room burst like a dam. In an instant, the entire studio erupted into a wave of warmth and excitement! 

(End of chapter) 

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