The roar of thousands of voices shook the arena, a tidal wave of sound that made the ground vibrate beneath Ethen Park's feet. Lightsticks glowed in dazzling colors, rising and falling in perfect rhythm with the pounding music.
Ethen tightened his grip on his own lightstick, his heart racing.
I can't believe this is real… I'm finally here. I'm finally seeing her.
The spotlight swept across the stage. And then—there she was.
Kim Yeri.
Her silver microphone shimmered as she moved gracefully to the center, her expression cold yet captivating. Her voice soared above the crowd, strong and flawless, each note sending shivers down his spine.
Ethen's eyes widened, unable to look away. "She's even more beautiful in person…" he whispered to himself.
The girl next to him glanced over. "First time seeing her live?"
"Yeah." Ethen laughed nervously. "I've waited years for this moment."
The fan grinned, shaking her head. "Then you're in trouble. Once you see Kim Yeri perform live, you'll never get over her."
But Ethen already knew that. His chest tightened as Yeri's gaze swept across the audience. For the briefest second, her eyes seemed to meet his. His breath caught.
On stage, Yeri sang flawlessly, but inside her chest, the applause didn't warm her. The music felt heavy, her smile rehearsed. Another concert, another crowd… Why does it all feel so empty?
Still, she pushed those thoughts away and raised her voice even higher. The crowd screamed.
From the floor, Ethen shouted with all his strength, "Yeri! You're amazing!"
His voice was swallowed by the ocean of cheers, but for a moment, Yeri's eyes flickered again toward his section.
And though he didn't know it yet, that fleeting moment was the start of something neither of them could have imagined.