RYL Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Tap-tap-tap-tap

The two sticks lifted into the air, clashing in a steady rhythm like a signal.

Suddenly, the dark stage lit up, revealing the orchestra members who had been waiting.

The orchestra began to play in sync with Sabrina’s drumbeat.

The first to rise were the three trumpeters, playing loudly with rhythm and movement.

All eyes were drawn to the trumpets as they played.

Meanwhile, the sounds of the flute and clarinet joined in.

Behind them, the bass and cello led by Hans strengthened the harmony.

With the orchestra’s support, both Samuel and I couldn’t help but smile broadly.

Before long, Samuel and I continued our guitar performance, almost as if we were competing.

Even with my unexpected appearance, the orchestra members didn’t seem too disturbed.

The orchestra wasn’t made up of ordinary members; each one had a strong personality and could improvise, so the performance continued naturally.

The melodies Samuel and I created on the guitar, Lilianne’s smooth piano, Sabrina’s energetic drumming, and the instruments of the orchestra blended together seamlessly.

The crowd, who had been buzzing, began to quiet down.

“What kind of music is this?”

“I’ve never heard anything like it. But what’s that strange drum?”

One person looked at Sabrina’s loud drumming in fascination.

The audience’s interest seemed more curious and shocked than genuinely appreciative.

Then one person, almost in a trance, spoke up, watching the stage.

“I’m not sure, but the music is kind of exciting.”

The people who had initially rejected it were now, one by one, focusing on the stage.

That was a small victory in itself.

The music being played by the orchestra was a mix of punk pop and country pop, genres from modern pop bands.

It was a song by a famous singer who led the high teen pop genre in college, with the band’s strong rhythm and the violin’s lively melody perfectly blending together.

Noticing that the crowd was now focused on the stage, I signaled Samuel and the orchestra with my eyes.

The lively stage became more peaceful as the lighting dimmed.

The spotlight fell on Lilianne, who played a gentle piano melody.

The beautiful sounds of the flute and clarinet blended with the piano’s soft melody and harmonies.

Like the calm before a storm, the stage became quieter, and the audience’s faces showed more anticipation.

Swallow

The sound of someone swallowing in the audience echoed just as the piano’s melody became stronger.

At the same time, three violinists stepped forward, matching the piano and quickly leading the tempo toward the song’s climax.

Then, Samuel, who had been playing guitar, set it down and picked up the violin that had been prepared next to him.

He glanced at the audience, then placed the bow on the violin string.

The other violins went quiet, and soon Samuel’s violin performance began.

Everyone was in awe of Samuel’s intense performance.

“Is that really the sound of a violin?”

“I didn’t know a violin could make such a rough sound.”

As the audience watched Samuel’s solo in amazement, Sabrina’s drumming stepped in to regain control.

With the beat of the drums, the orchestra members’ performance smoothly blended in.

As the excitement rose, the orchestra members, including Sabrina and Lilianne, smiled, energized.

That excitement quickly spread to the audience below.

The audience, who had been spellbound, began clapping along with the beat.

Some men even tapped their feet.

The sound of applause and tapping feet became another instrument, joining the music.

Looking at the audience, who suddenly clapped together as if they no longer resisted it, I grinned.

I told you they’d like it.

Sabrina and Lilianne exchanged glances and smiled widely.

As the music reached its climax, Sabrina’s dazzling drums marked the grand finale.

Boom boom boom! Clang! Boom boom boom!! Boom Clang! Clang! Boom boom! Clang! Shh-rrrrr

Finally, Sabrina struck the cymbals and silenced the sound, marking the end of the music.

The entire room fell silent.

The audience, who had been clapping joyfully, suddenly quieted. The orchestra members, Lilianne, and Sabrina exchanged nervous glances and swallowed.

Then, one person from the quiet crowd jumped up and shouted.

“Bravo!!”

Then applause and cheers began to pour in from all sides.

People not only clapped but even stood up from their seats. The orchestra members looked stunned.

“Whii!! Bravo!!”

“Whiiiii-!!”

Whistles accompanied the praise, and I looked at them proudly as I smiled and stepped forward with Samuel.

Together, we bowed to the audience.

The applause and cheers from the crowd seemed endless.

When I looked up, I saw Sabrina, Lilianne, and the orchestra members smiling proudly, and I reached out my hand to them.

I motioned for them to come forward.

They seemed confused, but I smiled again and waved my hand, urging them.

Soon, Sabrina, Lilianne, and the orchestra members nervously stepped forward.

They stood in line awkwardly in front of the stage.

I tightly held Sabrina and Lilianne’s hands.

They, in turn, grabbed the hands of the orchestra members beside them.

After exchanging looks, we all raised our joined hands above our heads and bowed.

As the orchestra members stepped forward to bow, the audience showered them with applause and cheers.

We raised our heads again and waved to the crowd, all of us smiling brightly.

Among the cheering crowd, Mathieu, wearing a blue mask, stood watching.

He was captivated by Claire, who stood in the center of the stage, shining brighter than anyone else.

Claire, wearing a red mask, could not hide her radiance.

She smiled brightly and waved to the crowd, looking much happier than when she was beside him.

Seeing her smile, Mathieu’s heart began to pound. He didn’t understand why.

He pressed his fist against his chest, trying to deny it, but…

When she suddenly jumped onto the stage.

When he saw her skillfully playing the guitar, something he’d never seen before.

When he saw her confidently standing in the center, leading those around her.

When he saw her glowing with the brightest, happiest smile.

He couldn’t deny it anymore.

The reason his heart was pounding so loudly…

Damn it, he probably liked Claire…

Then Mathieu’s gaze turned to the opposite side of the cheering crowd.

There, Prince Mikael was watching the stage, equally mesmerized.

No, more precisely, he was fixated on Claire.

Seeing Mikael’s eyes locked on Claire, Mathieu unconsciously clenched his fist.

Soon, Mikael, sensing Mathieu’s gaze, turned toward him.

Although the audience was clapping and cheering, enjoying the moment, Mathieu and Mikael were locked in their own world, staring at each other.

The two of them, without needing words, knew they were thinking the same thing.

In that moment, in the midst of all the excitement in the underground space, Mathieu and Mikael stared at each other in silence.