[EMY]
"This is the perfect time to strike while the iron's hot!"
Eric still didn't look convinced. His jaw tightened, and for a second I thought he was about to scold me like a disappointed dad.
"Listen, Emy," he said finally, voice firm but not unkind. "We're glad you care this much. And we're grateful for everything you've done—the songs, the videos, even this stage.
But this . . . this is a breach of contract with Star Entertainment. If they find out we're performing without their consent, they could terminate us. Worse, they might fine us so much we'll never recover."
My stomach dropped. Ah! That's right. That stupid contract . . .
Why did the legal fine print always ruin everything?
The room fell silent.
The boys exchanged uncertain glances.
And then—Lance, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke.
"So what?"
Every head snapped toward him.
"So what if they terminate us?" His voice was steady, his eyes blazing. "The important thing isn't the contract—it's the chance to perform. If this is the only way for the world to finally see who we are, then I don't care if Star Entertainment kicks me to the curb. Our contract would end anyway. For me, this is our last chance."
The silence that followed was electric. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat.
Kai sat up straighter, eyes shining. "Actually . . . I feel the same. This is probably our last chance. And chances like this don't come twice."
Ren didn't say much—he never did—but he gave the smallest nod, his stoic face softening just enough to reveal agreement.
That left only Eric.
The air turned heavy. All of us were staring at him, holding our breath. I swore that second stretched into hours. My palms grew clammy.
Finally, Eric leaned back, exhaled slowly, and looked up at the ceiling. "Fine. Then we'll do it. Star Entertainment already broke their contract first, anyway. They cut our budget, left us stranded, and stopped us from performing. If they want to end it, so be it."
A rush of relief burst through the room. Kai whooped. Lance grinned. Even Ren's lips twitched into what could almost be called a smile.
And me? I smiled so wide my face hurt. My boys—my boys—were finally going to shine.
Tomorrow, the world would meet AUREA.
And the world would never be the same.
I guaranteed it.
I swore on my uterus, my hormones, and my unpaid loans that this was going to work.
But fate? Fate was an absolute troll.
Because it rained.
No—poured.
The kind of rain that made even stray cats and cockroaches file complaints with Mother Nature.
The park was deserted, save for a few unfortunate souls sprinting for cover with plastic bags over their heads.
Nobody came. Not a single fan, not even an old man with too much free time.
Of course it was the weather's fault—but try telling that to my heart, which was already slapping me for not checking the weather report.
Inside the one big tent we'd rented, I stared at the boys. Their faces mirrored the sky outside: gray, heavy, and drenched in disappointment.
The stage we had worked so hard to set up—lights, speakers, drums, guitars, even the mic stand I'd rented with money I didn't have—was now soaked under the relentless rain. Water dripped off the amplifiers like tears.
"No one's coming, huh . . . ," Kai muttered bitterly, hugging his knees like a kid who didn't get picked for dodgeball.
"Don't worry, guys!" I chirped, way too brightly for the situation. "I'm sure they'll come when the rain stops! It's definitely not about you. You're perfect, it's the weather that sucks."
Lance was quiet, his jaw tight as he stared at the storm-dark sky. His silence hurt more than any words. He looked like someone deciding whether to give up on a dream.
And I refused—I refused—to let him go back to those pigs in suits who only saw him as meat on a contract.
"I'm sorry, guys." My voice cracked despite myself. "It's all my fault. I should've checked the weather before scheduling this. I just—"
Eric sighed, the weight of the world in that one sound. "It's not your fault, Emy. It's just . . . fate really isn't on our side, is it?"
The way he said it made something inside me twist painfully. My chest felt so tight it was hard to breathe.
Seeing them crushed like this—after everything—they deserved the world, and instead they got rain.
Lord, I thought desperately, if You can't stop the rain, then at least let me carry all of their disappointment instead. Give me their pain. Just don't let them break.