As he spoke, Ronan kept a smile on his face the whole time. Those bright, clear eyes gazed at Aaron with an open and sincere look. But there was a faint tremble in his voice, a subtle hint of emotion slipping through despite his efforts to hold it back. It was hard to pin down exactly what it felt like—bitterness mixed with a touch of quiet sadness, like a single ray of sunlight piercing through the heavy gloom of a long winter day.
"But then John's email came, and it changed everything. It sparked a little hope for us—how could we possibly say no? We wanted to agree right away, afraid you'd change your mind. So we hopped on a plane as fast as we could, not giving you any chance to back out." Ronan glanced at John, and as he spoke, a grin spread across his face.
John, though, could see so much more behind that smile—layers of helplessness that reminded him of that late-night phone call. It made him chuckle too.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ollie standing nearby. The guy had turned his back to them completely. At 185 centimeters tall, he stood like a solid black tower, but his slightly shaking shoulders gave away that he was secretly wiping his eyes. It was both funny and bittersweet to John, and his own smile carried a hint of that same mixed emotion.
More than that, in just the past week, John hadn't held out much hope. Yet he'd watched this band pull off intense rehearsals in a rush and then deliver an absolutely stunning performance on tonight's concert stage. He couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration.
Like Ronan said, this was a band full of hunger and urgency. Behind his casual words hid so much more.
"Now, not only did we perform in front of ten thousand people and earn their applause, but we're also getting an even bigger opportunity? Trust me, we'll grab this chance with everything we've got. So you guys better watch out—you might not be able to shake us off that easily."
Ronan's words had a playful, self-mocking edge that made both Aaron and John burst out laughing.
The curve of Ronan's smile softened as he spoke again, this time more seriously. "So, thank you, Aaron. Thanks for giving us this shot. Of course we've got time—for God's sake, time's the only thing we do have. If there's someone we can meet, we'll race over there in a heartbeat. Believe me, I mean it."
This time, Aaron didn't brush it off with polite words.
To him, it was just business—a connection to make, a favor to offer, nothing more than a small gesture that left a good impression. But for One Day Kings, it was a ray of light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, a real chance to turn their career around.
What struck him most was how Ronan laid it all out there, so honest and unguarded—no schemes, no hidden agendas, just pure sincerity. It was almost too sincere, the kind of openness that could get you chewed up and spit out in the entertainment world. You could tell right away this was a young band still green around the edges, showing all their cards without a second thought.
Aaron thought about warning Ronan, telling him he didn't need to expose his vulnerabilities like that. But as he looked into Ronan's eyes and saw the flicker of emotion there, he held back.
From start to finish, Ronan kept smiling, calmly recounting the struggles of those dark days. His light tone carried a quiet strength and resilience that reminded Aaron of the first time he'd met Bruno.
Bruno and Ronan were cut from the same cloth—dreamers with a pure love for music. Lately, though, Bruno had lost his way under the pressures of fame and fortune. Maybe—just maybe—this band could reignite that spark in him. And that purity, that passion, was what kept them running forward. If they got too slick and cunning, would they still be themselves? Or would they end up like Bruno, tumbling into a bottomless pit of darkness?
With that thought, Aaron swallowed his words. That kind of innocent heart was so rare. Let Ronan hold onto it. Instead, what came out was, "Well, you guys better step up then. I'm putting my reputation on the line recommending you, so you've got to bring your A-game."
Ronan let out a goofy laugh, running a hand through his damp short hair. He didn't say much, but a quiet confidence shone in his eyes.
That look made John, standing nearby, chuckle too. He jumped in with a tease. "They messed up big-time at the start of tonight's show—total rookie move—but they still pulled it off perfectly. They even turned it into a chance to fire up the whole crowd. With a performance like that, I'm pretty sure they can handle anything."
Ronan shook his head earnestly. "No, no, no, that's only on stage. Did you see how we fumbled this conversation just now? We were all shoving the responsibility onto each other. Clearly, none of us can handle this kind of thing." He trailed off, scrunching his face in mock disgust.
The whole group erupted in laughter. Ollie laughed the loudest, carefree and booming, while Cliff and Maxim doubled over. The infectious sound had everyone rolling with laughter.
Aaron grinned wide and extended a friendly invite. "Let's put everything else aside for now. Tonight's all about the concert. Bruno's set is about to start—how about it? You guys ready? The real party's just getting started."
"Woohoo! Woohoo!" Ronan couldn't hold back his excitement, bouncing up and down. "Yes, yes! Concert time!"
Performing live and watching a show live were two totally different experiences, even if they both happened on a stage. He'd always, always wanted to see a concert in person, to feel the energy of thousands of people losing themselves in the music together. That kind of stage was the real party, and tonight he finally had the chance—Bruno's concert, no less. How could he pass that up?
Task one tonight was warming up the crowd, and they'd nailed it. Now it was time for task two: enjoying the show. It was the thing he'd been looking forward to most since the darkness started to lift.
A free concert with ten thousand people? Ronan was already rubbing his hands together, ready to dive in.
"Let's go! Let's go! Party time!" Ronan shouted at Aaron and John, still hopping around, rallying everyone to join the celebration. He was even more hyped than Aaron.