"What are you all talking about? You look so happy."
Green picked up a rag, began wiping the counter, and walked over to Hugo and the others with a cheerful smile.
"Finally have time to take care of other customers?" Hugo teased instead of answering, glancing toward the beautiful woman sitting at the far end of the bar. "Don't tell me you spent all that time just getting her number? It's been at least fifteen minutes—you two looked pretty cozy."
"You're too impatient. A real gentleman never rushes things. You have to make a lady feel respected, especially when she's just come of age."
Green's meaningful smile said it all. Hugo and Neil instantly caught his tone, but Pedro just sat there looking confused, completely out of the loop.
"She gave me her number herself," Grinn added proudly. "And I've invited her to dinner tomorrow night."
"Ah-ha! So that's the gentleman's goal—dinner on the first date? That's such a slow pace…" Hugo deliberately emphasized the last word, earning laughter from both Green and Neil.
Still clueless, Pedro asked in confusion, "Who's Green having dinner with?" He hadn't even noticed the woman at the other end of the bar, which made all three burst out laughing.
"Definitely not you," Green shot back, making Pedro pout. "Don't treat me like a kid! I'm old enough to drink legally!"
Hugo couldn't help but laugh out loud, but quickly tried to make up for it. "Sorry, sorry. I was just in a good mood thinking about the band."
"Right, the band." Neil sighed beside him—Hugo's way of changing the subject really was terrible.
Surprisingly, Pedro bought it. "Yeah, we were just talking about the band."
Hugo gave Neil a triumphant grin, earning an exaggerated eye-roll in return.
"Oh, a band? You're forming a band?" Green brightened up instantly. "Who's in it?"
As the owner of Al's Bar, he knew almost every regular, and talk of rock music always got him excited.
"Just the three of us," Neil said, gesturing at himself, Hugo, and Pedro.
"Including Hugo?" Grinn raised an eyebrow. "What about your movies? I've been waiting for your next project!"
His enthusiasm reminded Hugo of their first meeting—Green had mentioned he loved his films, and apparently, that hadn't been an exaggeration.
"You're not giving up because of all those ridiculous reports, are you?"
"Green, the way you said that makes it sound like you think joining a band is a bad idea," Hugo said with a smile.
"No, of course not." Green quickly shook his head. After a pause, he remembered Hugo's incredible guitar performance during Rock Night and grinned. "Not at all. I just… well, I'm hoping to see more of your great work on the big screen. You're truly talented there."
"Thanks." Hugo raised his beer with a smile and took a big sip. "Don't worry, those negative stories won't affect me. I'm already looking for my next film project. But since I've got some time, why not chase my musical dream too? It could be fun."
Green looked between Pedro and Neil—both talented young men he'd heard of before. The more he thought about it, the more interested he became.
"That's a fantastic idea! You three forming a band? My God, I'm already excited to hear your music."
Of course, talent alone didn't guarantee success. Even skilled musicians could struggle to stand out in the crowded underground rock scene. But seeing the spark in these three, Green couldn't help but believe they might create something special if they found the right sound and direction.
"So, what's your band's name?" Grinn asked eagerly.
Hugo glanced at Neil and Pedro—both looked clueless. Neil shrugged. "We literally decided to form the band five minutes ago. Naming it can wait."
"Right…" Green nodded. "And three people aren't enough for a full band. You'll need more members."
"Yeah, this is just the beginning," Pedro said excitedly. "But it's a great start, isn't it?"
After the 21st century, most bands only needed four members—bass, drums, keyboard, and guitar—to form a complete lineup. Some traditional heavy metal bands even skipped the keyboard entirely, thinking it didn't belong in rock. But most preferred five members: one bassist, one drummer, one keyboardist, and two guitarists—one for rhythm and one for lead. Sometimes the guitarist doubled as a keyboard player or the vocalist. There were plenty of variations, but three members were still incomplete.
They were missing both a drummer and a keyboardist, so clearly the lineup wasn't finished yet.
"Of course. I don't expect to build a full band in one day," Hugo laughed. "But if we can just find a place to practice, that'll be our first real step forward."
Having a dedicated rehearsal space would make everything feel real, boost morale, and give structure to their plans. Neil and Pedro both nodded eagerly, though none of them were from Los Angeles—Neil was Swedish, Pedro was Brazilian—so unlike locals, they couldn't just use a family garage to start their band.
"If you can't find a place to practice, there's one behind the bar," Green said, pointing toward the back. "It's a row of old warehouses I rent out to bands for rehearsal. Just book a slot in advance if you need it."
"Really?" Hugo sounded surprised, though on second thought, it made sense. Green was wealthy, and since he owned Al's Bar, owning the buildings behind it wasn't surprising.
"Is the rent expensive?" Neil asked cautiously, staying practical even as Hugo and Pedro lit up with excitement.
"Only a hundred dollars a month—utilities not included," Green said casually. That was practically free rent, showing just how much he genuinely supported underground rock music.
Hugo hadn't really thought about the rent. Though he wasn't rich, he could easily afford it. But then he realized why Neil had asked that question.
They were new friends brought together by their shared love of music, not by money. Underground bands rarely had steady income, and even small expenses could become a burden. If Hugo alone covered all the costs, there were only two possible outcomes—either the band would become his band, losing the spirit of friendship and collaboration, or he'd eventually burn out, quit, and the group would fall apart.
So it was better to be clear about money from the start.
Even among brothers, clear accounts kept things fair. Only that way could the band stay pure—driven by music, not money.
Hugo smiled in understanding at Neil, silently approving his thoughtfulness.
Then Pedro's impatient voice broke in, "So, when can we go take a look?"
"Well, if you want, you can go right now," said Green.
He turned, grabbed a set of keys from the wine rack, and tossed them onto the counter.
Pedro immediately snatched the keys and dashed out the door.
Green chuckled at his enthusiasm. "All those warehouses are basically the same," he explained to Hugo and Neil. "You'll see once you go inside."
Hugo and Neil nodded, then followed Pedro out. They stepped out of Al's Bar, turned down the narrow alley beside it, and soon reached the row of old warehouses. The area was dark, not a single light on.
Pedro stood in front of the first warehouse door, looking confused. "Uh, which one's for rent again?"
"That's what you get for running ahead," Hugo laughed. "Green said any of them will do—they're all laid out the same."
Pedro didn't hesitate. He ran straight to the nearest warehouse, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
The light flickered on, pushing back the darkness like a retreating tide.
A spacious warehouse appeared before them—roughly 700 square feet (about 65 square meters).
It wasn't huge, but more than enough for a band's needs. Along the left wall stood a massive wire fence, behind which stacks of wooden planks were piled high—no one knew what for. About half of the space was clear, with long extension cords coiled in a heap and scraps of paper scattered across the floor.
The space was simple, rough, but perfect.
"So, what do you think?"
Pedro stood in the center, spinning around as his voice echoed through the warehouse. The acoustics weren't bad, though it was hard to tell how well the soundproofing worked. Still, since Green rented these out for rehearsals, it was probably decent enough.
Hugo and Neil exchanged a glance—then both smiled.
Hugo shrugged lightly. "Then it's settled. This is the place."
He raised his right hand into the air. Neil looked at him for a second, then placed his own hand on top. Pedro ran over excitedly and stacked his hand last.
Hugo said with a grin, "Looks like our band has just taken its first step. This is a good beginning."
"Oh yeah!"
All three raised their hands high toward the ceiling.
Their dream began right there.
...
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