213-215

Chapter 213: Fantastic News 

“…I’ve been thinking—what if I keep traveling with you guys?” Alice hesitantly voiced her thoughts. It wasn’t about leaving; it was about staying. 

“Alice…” Ronan was slightly surprised. He tried to dissuade her, but Alice casually waved her hand to stop him and continued speaking. 

“It’s just a thought for now. I haven’t made a decision yet,” Alice said, calming Ronan enough that he patiently listened. “I just feel like being on the road with the band is an experience in itself. The images and life I see are different from yours, and I really enjoy that. So I was thinking, maybe if I stay with you, I might find inspiration for my first real film project.” 

“But Alice, if you stay with us, how will you find funding? Or a crew? Your entire life will revolve around the band—you won’t have the time,” Ronan said, shaking his head gently in disagreement. 

Alice chuckled, “Who knows? Maybe I’ll follow you to a party and bump into some top producer. Like the party last night—I kind of regret not going. There are plenty of opportunities just being around you guys. Besides, I’m still your manager, remember?” 

“Alice,” Ronan said, exasperated. “That’s not funny…” 

The bigger issue was that now that their opening tour with Bruno had ended, the band didn’t even know what came next. They were just drifting. What would be the point of Alice tagging along? Ronan truly wanted her to chase her own dream. 

Ronan straightened up, preparing to have a deeper conversation with Alice, but her phone rang and cut him off. 

Alice picked up her phone and gave Ronan a look to pause the lecture, flashing a smug grin. Ronan could only shake his head in resignation as she answered, “Hi, this is Alice, manager of One Day King.” 

She even made a silly face at Ronan as she said it, clearly teasing. Ronan shook his head, helplessly amused. 

“Yes… Mhm… That’s right… Oh? Where are you calling from? Ah, yes, yes, I’m interested. Of course, we’d love to. So, when?” 

At first, Ronan was still smiling at her antics, but slowly, he sensed something was off. The tone of the conversation was different. His focus sharpened, watching Alice closely. 

Alice noticed Ronan’s gaze behind his sunglasses, pointed at the phone, and mouthed: “Job offer.” 

A job for One Day King? Or for Alice herself? Or something else entirely? 

Ronan removed his sunglasses, curiosity growing. 

Alice’s call went on for a while. She didn’t just sit and talk—she stood up and walked outside to the pool area so she wouldn’t disturb other guests. Her demeanor was serious—it clearly wasn’t just a casual chat. 

The call lasted nearly fifteen minutes before she finally returned. 

Ronan realized his palms were sweaty. If it really was a job for the band, Alice was essentially being thrown into the deep end as their manager. Could she handle it? Would she run into problems? Would the other party push her around? There were so many unknowns. 

“Hm?” Ronan suppressed his growing worry and looked at Alice, waiting for an explanation. 

Alice sat down next to him, her face a little more serious than usual. The air between them felt charged. Then she finally said, “Ronan, if I told you One Day King just locked in their next gig, would you still be able to tell me I can’t come along?” 

“Alice…” Ronan let out a helpless laugh. 

She raised her right hand and wagged her finger, “Hold on, I’m not done yet. If I told you I just sealed a two-album deal for One Day King, would that prove I’m a capable manager? Would you still say I can’t join you on this adventure?” 

Ronan froze. His expression stiffened as joy threatened to break through, though he tried to suppress it. A mix of confusion and excitement shone in his eyes, silently asking: What are you talking about? 

Alice’s smile curled up knowingly, and she slowly nodded. “That’s right. You’re thinking the right thing. The call was from Atlantic Records. They wanted to know if One Day King has a record deal and whether we’d be open to signing a five-album contract with them.” 

“I told them One Day King would love to work with Atlantic Records, but five albums? That’s just too big a gamble—for them and for us. So I countered: how about a three-year, two-album deal, with Atlantic holding the first rights to renew? It’s a much more reasonable starting point.” 

No wonder the call took so long. 

Alice hadn’t just blindly agreed like a rookie. She wasn’t starstruck by Atlantic Records’ name. Instead, she stayed calm and sharp, showing impressive insight and negotiation skills under pressure. 

She didn’t just seem capable—she was brilliant. 

Ronan stared at her, stunned. This wasn’t the Alice he thought he knew. 

Alice cheekily winked at him. “The guy didn’t agree on the spot, but he said it was an interesting proposal worth discussing. If we’re open to it, we can visit their Manhattan headquarters tomorrow to talk more.” 

“I thought it was a great idea, so I said yes.” Then she leaned in slightly, resting her upper body on the table and lowering her voice, “Ronan, I think they’ll say yes. I really believe this will work. Hehe, what do you think?” 

Looking at her playful, mischievous expression, Ronan’s shock gradually melted away. A smile slowly spread across his face as he nodded. “Yeah… I think this is really good.” 

There was a pause as the joy began to well up in his chest. It felt like inflating a balloon—growing, filling, grounding him with a sense of reality. He nodded again, repeating it with certainty: 

“This is really good.” 

Chapter 214: Character Search Signed with a record label. Album release underway. 

After a long and winding journey, the moment of breakthrough finally arrived. One Day King had endured their darkest days, and now, they could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Of course, Ronan knew all too well—releasing an album was only the first step. It was just the beginning of being noticed by the market. The vast, competitive, and sluggish music industry still loomed ahead, filled with fierce rivals and countless hurdles. Each year, hundreds—if not thousands—of artists released albums, but not all of them were actually heard, let alone recognized. 

He knew. He knew all of that. 

But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that the band could finally take this first step. And that was something truly incomparable. 

“One Day King!” They were about to claim a small but permanent place in music history. 

His lips curled into a smile. Joy and happiness filled his chest, and Ronan’s eyes sparkled as if brimming with starlight. “This is really good.” 

Alice could feel the genuine joy radiating from Ronan—so contagious that she couldn’t help but break into a radiant smile herself, completely immersed in the same bubbling happiness. She laughed out loud. “Aaaaah! Ronan, you guys are finally releasing an album!” 

“Aaaaah!” Ronan echoed, joining Alice in their silly little cheer. They looked like total goofballs, shouting in excitement. 

Their outburst disturbed nearby patrons, who turned and gave them judgmental looks, clearly annoyed. 

Ronan and Alice quickly clamped their hands over their mouths, trying to muffle their laughter. But as they glanced at each other, shoulders trembling in barely contained amusement, they both burst out laughing again. It felt like doing twenty sets of ab crunches. 

“Bwahahaha!” Ronan couldn’t hold it in anymore and cracked up, raising his voice toward the other patrons, “Sorry! So sorry!” But he still couldn’t stop laughing. 

Somewhere in the middle of that laughter, they completely forgot why they’d started smiling in the first place—caught in a silly, endless loop of giggles. 

Alice looked up, saw Ronan making goofy faces, and let out another snort of laughter like she’d discovered a new continent. She couldn’t stop either. Finally, with tears in her eyes, she whimpered while wiping the corners, “Please stop making me laugh!” 

“I’m a singer, not a comedian, okay?” Ronan said righteously. 

Alice shot back, “Really?” 

And just like that, they were laughing all over again, stuck in an infinite comedy loop. 

Eventually, Alice regained a bit of composure and wiped her face with a tissue. “Right, I need to check something with you. A guy named Ahmet Ertegun called earlier—did I say that right? He said he had a great time chatting with you at the party last night.” 

“Really?” Ronan rubbed his sore face muscles—his cheeks and throat were aching. “To be honest, I can’t even remember what happened last night. I thought I blew it, because Ahmet didn’t give away anything. I couldn’t tell how things went.” 

He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I only spoke with Ahmet briefly—just small talk, nothing substantial. I honestly thought that was the end of it. Can’t believe there’s a follow-up already. That was fast.” 

Ronan took a big gulp of orange juice to soothe his throat, then popped some fries into his mouth like snacks. “Wait, are you sure it was Ahmet Ertegun?” 

“When he introduced himself, that’s what he said. I think I pronounced it right.” Alice looked unsure. 

Ronan frowned. “Wait a second…” He tossed a couple more fries into his mouth and grabbed his phone, typing away quickly. 

The name Ahmet Ertegun had sounded familiar to Ronan last night, but he couldn’t place it. Now, with time to think, he decided to search it—maybe it would jog his memory. 

“Aha!” He typed the name along with “Atlantic Records” into Google. Despite a few spelling errors, Google still pulled up the results right away. 

As he skimmed through the info, Ronan’s eyes widened in surprise. 

Ahmet Ertegun, along with Herb Abramson, founded Atlantic Records in 1947. They were the co-founders. 

Based in New York, Atlantic Records had once been one of the most iconic music labels in North America. 

First, they were the first American label to truly push R&B into the mainstream. Back in the ’40s and ’50s, Atlantic helped transform the genre from a niche style into a commercial success. And for the next two decades, they kept building on that momentum, helping R&B earn its rightful place in mainstream music. 

Second, they were one of the first studios in New York to install multitrack recording systems—almost a decade ahead of the curve—pioneering the evolution of studio recording in the U.S. 

Third, in the ’60s, during their golden age, they signed one of America’s greatest singers, the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. From there, they continued breaking ground in soul, rock, blues, jazz, and folk. In the ’70s, they even signed legendary British rock band Led Zeppelin, cementing their status in rock history. 

It’s no exaggeration to say that Atlantic Records played a major role in shaping R&B, soul, and rock music across North America—leaving a deep, permanent mark on music history. 

Of course, even the mighty Atlantic couldn’t escape Wall Street’s hunger. Once a small, independent label that had grown into a music giant, it faced two paths: go down like Motown by refusing to compromise, or join the system like Atlantic and become a subsidiary while keeping some creative independence. 

In 1967, Atlantic was acquired by Warner Music. By 1990, Time Inc. and Warner had merged into the mega-conglomerate Time Warner, with Atlantic still holding its ground. 

In 2004, after absorbing several smaller indie labels, Atlantic became one of Time Warner’s top subsidiaries, second only to Warner Records. 

Of course, the Ahmet Ertegun Ronan met last night wasn’t the original founder of Atlantic Records. 

But still… what a name to carry. 

Chapter 215: Coming Prepared 

Of course, the Ahmet Ertegun that Ronan met last night wasn’t that Ahmet Ertegun—the one who founded Atlantic Records in 1947. 

That Ahmet passed away in 2006 at the age of 83. The one currently serving as Atlantic Records' CEO is his great-grandson, Ahmet Ertegun II, who not only inherited the name but also achieved something that both his father and grandfather hadn’t—he reclaimed a top executive role at Atlantic Records. 

And this "great-grandson" is doing a remarkable job. 

Today, big-name artists like Coldplay, CeeLo Green, Ed Sheeran, James Blunt, Jason Mraz, Kelly Clarkson, Simple Plan, and Twenty One Pilots are all signed under Atlantic Records. 

With over thirty acts under its label, it's clear that Atlantic Records is a dominant force in both pop and rock music. The label has been working tirelessly to discover and promote new talent—Ed Sheeran, who signed last year, and Twenty One Pilots, who joined earlier this year, are both seen as rising stars with huge potential. 

And now, finally, things are starting to make sense. 

Ronan must’ve heard the name Ahmet Ertegun before—that’s probably why it sounded familiar to him. But at the time, he couldn’t quite place it. 

He showed the search results to Alice. 

Alice skimmed through the information. “So during your conversation last night, he didn’t drop any hints?” 

“Not at all.” Ronan popped another fry into his mouth. “By the end of the chat, I was completely confused. I couldn’t figure out his angle at all. Honestly, I was frustrated—I felt like I might’ve missed an opportunity. How was your conversation with him?” 

“Polite, warm, very sincere,” Alice replied simply. “He seemed really well-informed about the band. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s watched every one of our videos on YouTube.” 

“No way,” Ronan’s eyes widened as he chewed. “Sure, our videos are public, but still—it’s kind of creepy, like having your secrets exposed. Where’d he even find the time to watch our stuff?” 

“I don’t know—maybe he just came prepared?” Alice guessed. “The reason I say that is because he said if we’re willing to sign, a signing bonus of $30,000 or $80,000 wouldn’t be a problem. That kind of comment doesn’t just come out of nowhere—it had to be inspired by something in our videos.” 

Ronan paused, his hand holding a fry midair. After popping it into his mouth, he didn’t chew right away—something clicked in his mind. “Wait, are you talking about that joke Oli and I made? The thirty or eighty thousand thing?” 

In one of the One Day Kings road trip videos, besides their street performances, there were a lot of candid, everyday moments. Alice had been filming the band’s life on the road. 

Once, Ronan needed to use the bathroom, but Oli was sitting nearby on his phone and blocked the way. He jokingly told Ronan there was a toll fee to pass. Ronan handed him two tissues and shouted some made-up nonsense: “Thirty thousand or eighty thousand!” It wasn’t even a real number—just completely off-the-cuff silliness. Oli played along, saying, “But you only gave me twenty-five thousand!” 

It was a spontaneous, light-hearted moment. Ronan and Oli were goofing around while Maxime laughed endlessly, and Cliff just thought they were both nuts. 

Now, looking back, Ronan hadn’t even remembered that joke—yet Ahmet had? 

Alice nodded. “Well, there’s always a one-in-ten-thousand chance he just likes that kind of humor too. Maybe it means you guys are kindred spirits.” 

Ronan ignored her and drifted into thought. Ahmet clearly wasn’t just some friendly exec—he was sharp and observant. Even though he knew everything about One Day Kings, he had said almost nothing during their first meeting. That meant tomorrow’s follow-up might need to be approached with extra caution. 

Then again, One Day Kings didn’t exactly have a lot of leverage right now. They’d probably sign anything, even if it was a slightly unfair deal. 

So before any anxiety could really settle in, Ronan shrugged it off. He went back to chewing—right now, feeding his stomach was the priority. 

Just then, Maxime and Cliff showed up, and even Oli—who could usually sleep through an earthquake—was finally dragged out of bed by hunger. They all came looking for food, and Alice took the opportunity to share the good news. 

Maxime and Cliff were stunned. Cliff kept bombarding Alice with questions, trying to piece together all the details so it would feel more real. Maxime just sat there dazed, laughing one second and tearing up the next, totally overwhelmed. 

Only Oli reacted with carefree joy. He cheered without hesitation, fully trusting Alice and Ronan. He whistled and high-fived Ronan in celebration, then broke into a silly Crayon Shin-chan-style dance next to the table, beaming with happiness. 

Once seated, he was clearly starving and called for the waiter to order food—totally unconcerned about tomorrow’s meeting or any contractual details. Ronan also joined in, ready for round two of ordering. 

Watching Oli flip through the menu like it was a treasure map, Cliff sighed, exasperated. “Oli, we haven’t finalized anything yet. Aren’t you even a little bit worried?” 

“Worried about what?” Oli’s big eyes darted around innocently. 

Cliff was momentarily speechless. Then he looked over and saw Ronan also eyeing the menu and licking his lips. Words failed him again, and he finally gave up, turning back to Alice. “So? What else did he say on the call?” 

Way behind on the emotional curve, Maxime suddenly leapt up, seemingly out of nowhere, and started doing an awkward Russian folk dance all by himself. “An album! We’re recording a real album! Haha! We’re finally going to make a proper album!” 

Even without anyone joining in, Maxime was fully immersed in his solo celebration. His handsome face twisted into the most ridiculous expressions—honestly, it was a bit much to watch. 

Amid all the laughter and chaos, Ronan finished ordering and happened to glance at his phone. A thought popped into his head, and he quickly typed in a new name to search. The internet seemed a bit slow this time—the page just kept buffering. Ronan started feeling a little anxious. 

Just as he was about to refresh and try again, the page finally loaded. 

(End of Chapter)