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-The grand hall pulsed with electricity-, the kind only years of talent, rivalry, and raw dreams could build. Spotlights crisscrossed over a crowd that roared loud enough to shake the gold-lined walls. On stage, two finalist teams stood beneath the blinding lights, sweat glistening on their brows, hearts hammering in sync with the final drum roll.
It was the *International Competition at Imperial's Musical*—the biggest stage in all of Asia. The stakes had never been higher.
*♤*
The announcer raised the mic, pausing with a practiced smile.
"And the club taking home the award this year is…"
A silence fell—thick, breathless, loaded with expectations.
Then the chant erupted like thunder:
"VICKI~LOG!!!"
"VICKI~LOG!!!"
From another side, a smaller yet passionate roar fought to rise:
"CELESTRIX!!!"
"CELESTRIX!!!"
The announcer grinned.
"This year's Japan International Musical Competition winner goes to…
VICKI~LOG! From North Korea!"
The arena exploded. Confetti burst like fireworks. Bouquets rained from the balconies. *Vicki*, the fierce and magnetic leader of Vicki~Log, stepped forward, arms wide, soaking in the glory.
"We knew this was ours,"
she said into the mic, confidence radiating.
"We never fail to own the spotlight. But this win—this is also yours, our fans. Thank you."
She bowed. Her team bowed. Flowers kissed the stage as the lights dimmed on their victorious faces.
---
*Backstage. A cracked guitar neck hit the floor.*
"F*CK!!!"
The sound rang through the empty music room like a gunshot.
Ryan's chest heaved, eyes blazing. His clenched fists trembled.
"It's not your fault…" Mira muttered from the corner, arms folded, jaw tight.
"Yeah, yeah," Sato muttered, slumped in a chair, fingers tangled in his hair.
"There's always next year, right?"
A soft sniff cut through the room.
"We… failed."
*Mari*, the youngest, stood clutching her hat, eyes wide with hurt. She looked small—shattered.
Everyone turned to her.
"WE KNOW, MARI!" Ryan barked.
She broke. "Wahhh ahhh ah!" Her sobs echoed in the tense silence.
From the bench, another voice stirred. *Kaze* rose lazily, rubbing his eyes.
"I told you. No soloist? No chance."
He yawned. Unbothered. Cold.
"All the hardcore instrumentals and heavy drums in the world won't win this without a soloist"
He picked up his hat and tossed it carelessly on the floor. "I'm out."
He walked out without a glance back.
"Kaze…"Ria called softly. No response.
*CRASH.*
Sato stood and hurled a chair at the wall, the wood splintering on contact.
"I F*CKING QUIT!"
He stormed out.
"Guys…" Mira whispered.
Mari's tear-choked voice wobbled. "Ria… please. Don't leave too."
But Ria shook her head. "Kaze made his call. I'm with him."
She dropped her hat and left in silence.
Ryan sighed—long and broken.
"It's over."
---
*That evening.*
The city's LED news boards flickered to life.
"4:00 PM Breaking: Vicki~Log sweeps this year's international musical stage, defeating fierce competition from Celestrix, Malaysia's Light, Zylon's Metal, Graniteville, and D-X."
Crowds gathered on sidewalks. Some cheered. Others stood silent—shocked.
---
*Later that night.*
A cold breeze whispered against Mira's pale face as she sat alone on the rooftop. Her fingers trembled.
*"Desire… you're my forbi—"*
Her voice cracked.
"..desire… you're my forbi—"*
She clutched her chest as her voice failed a second time. Hot tears spilled silently down her cheeks.
She dropped to her knees
"It can't end like this…"
Her whisper vanished into the wind
-
*6 MONTHS LATER*
*ICEBERG DISTRICT*
*Halvod's High*
The graduation hall buzzed with a chaotic mix of glamor and teenage adrenaline. Students strolled across the polished floor in elegant dresses and pressed suits, all cloaked beneath flowing graduation gowns. Laughter echoed under the high ceilings as they celebrated their final moments of high school freedom.
"Who still drinks soda?" someone shouted from the center of the crowd. "Give me some whiskey, nigga!"
It was loud. Unfiltered. Youth at its peak.
*Back of the hall*
"So... what are you doing after school?" a girl asked, flipping her hair casually.
"Oh, I just hope I get picked into Imperial's Musical," the other replied, eyes bright.
"Oh my gosh, me too! I've been singing all my life."
*School Grounds*
*CLICK*
Michelle snapped a photo as Maki and a few others posed against the glowing sunset. They collapsed onto the grass, catching their breath between laughs.
"Damn... we're done with high school," Maki said, scrolling through her camera roll.
"What do you plan to do after this, Nao-san?"
Nao pushed her glasses up gently. Her sleek black hair was tied into a clean ponytail, sharp against her soft features.
"I applied for Imperial's Musical."
"Whoa, almost everyone is applying!" Maki said. "After that last competition, the school got crazy popular."
"The reward is huge. And those who get in through the Equal System? Full scholarship," Nao added.
"Equal System?"
"It means you pass the written exam and the audition. Some people skip the exam and rely just on their voice."
"Wow... you're so smart." Maki patted her on the shoulder with a grin. "What about me? My dad's not letting me apply anywhere else. Says I have to go to Kagumei."
"Oh... tough break." Nao offered a faint smile.
---
*NEXT WEEK*
*Imperial's Musical*
*School Pool – Off Hours*
The pool room was quiet and dim. Ripples gently disturbed the surface of the water. At one end, ten students gathered. Three were seated like royalty, five stood straight like punished soldiers, and two more loomed at the front.
"I heard someone reported us to the Violence Committee," said the silver-haired guy, resting a wooden rod on his shoulder.
His name was konan—
"Which one of you did it?" he asked.
The five students trembled but kept silent.
Only the quiet taps from Nathan's phone echoed through the space.
Seated like a king, Nathan—leader of their underground club—casually scrolled, unbothered. Viki, his girlfriend, sat across his lap, expression unreadable. To his side stood Takumi, his loyal right hand.
Konan and Tachiba—the enforcers—stood near the trembling students like watch dogs.
Viki stood up, heels clicking on the tile. "You think that little speech will make them talk?" She took the rod from Konan and walked slowly, eyes scanning the group.
Silence. Fear.
Then—
"It was Vince! Please—it was him! Spare me, I swear!" one of the students cried, falling to her knees.
"Vince?" Viki raised a brow. "That chubby bastard?"
With a smirk, she raised her foot and pressed it onto the girl's bowed head.
"Good girl."
Then—without warning—she shoved the girl into the pool with a hard kick.
"Ack—I can't swim!" the girl shrieked, flailing.
Viki turned to the others, swirling the wooden rod like a wand. "Now the rest of you. Jump in."
Without hesitation, they obeyed, splashing one after the other into the water.
Konan let out a laugh. "Quite a presence you've got, Viki."
Tachiba yawned. "Wasn't even worth the drama. Boring."
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