Chapter 107: A Trance Of Love
The collective delight and viral amusement sparked by the "Number Song" slowly settled, leaving a warm, buzzing energy throughout the sprawling, open-air arena.
Down on the illuminated central stage, Yerin took a step toward the microphone, holding the stand with both hands. The towering holographic displays surrounding the platform captured her expression, a tender mix of vulnerability and deep sincerity.
"Before I move on to my second-to-last song of the night..." Yerin’s soft, crystalline voice flowed smoothly through the stadium speakers. "...I want to share a short secret with you all. A short time ago, while preparing for this concert, I hit a massive wall with the lyrics for this track. I was stressed, exhausted, and honestly ready to scrap the whole performance."
She paused, a soft, affectionate smile touching her lips as she glanced toward the upper tiers of the stadium.
"The lyrics you are about to hear weren’t written by me," Yerin confessed softly to the tens of millions watching worldwide. "They were written by the person I love. He took my messy thoughts, picked up a pen, and gifted me these words. I fell in love with them instantly, and I hope... from the bottom of my heart... that they touch your souls tonight."
DINK... SWOOSH...
A melancholic, sweeping orchestral arrangement began to play, blending gentle acoustic strings with soft, echoing synth pads.
Yerin raised the mic, took a slow, deep breath, and began to sing the farewell song I had scribbled down for her in the Sarah’s office.
I stood paralyzed by the glass wall of the floating skybox, my jaw slightly unhinged.
I remembered writing those lyrics, they were straightforward, honest lines reflecting on goodbyes, fond memories, and turning the page to a new Chapter. I had thought they were just alright. But hearing them brought to life through Yerin’s divine vocals... they had transformed into an absolute masterpiece. She poured so much emotion, pitch-perfect control, and raw soul into every syllable that the words felt like they had come straight out of a legendary, hall-of-fame ballad.
As the song reached its powerful, soaring chorus, a somber hush fell over the massive crowd.
In the pit below, thousands of fans lowered their glowing lightsticks, listening in spellbound quiet. I could see tears glistening on the cheeks of teenagers, adults, and tough-looking security guards alike. The lyrics swept through the arena like a gentle, rain-soaked breeze, a beautiful farewell that acknowledged the sadness of parting while celebrating the joy of the journey.
When the final, fading violin note finally whispered into the night air, Yerin lowered her microphone and offered a deep, respectful bow to the arena.
BOOM-!!
The silence shattered into the loudest roar of appreciation the stadium had heard all night. Over two hundred thousand fans cheered, wept, and chanted her name in unison, their applause echoing like rolling thunder across the Capital skyline.
Down on the stage, Yerin smiled brightly through her own glistening eyes, nodding happily. "Thank you... thank you so much! I’m so glad you loved his words!"
Inside our private skybox, Yoona slowly walked over to my side. She leaned close, her dark crimson hair brushing against my shoulder as her sweet, lotus-and-vanilla scent filled my nose. She shot me a sly, impressed look, her eyes sparkling with quiet pride.
Without saying a word, Yoona gave me a subtle, tantalizing wink-silently communicating just how deeply impressed she was by the song I’d crafted for her sister. I offered her a modest, warm smirk in return, reaching down to gently squeeze her hand.
Meanwhile, back on the stage, the white-hot spotlights slowly shifted, merging into a single, breathtaking beam of radiant starlight focused squarely on Yerin.
"And now..." Yerin spoke into the mic, her voice dropping into a quiet, trembling murmur that carried an extraordinary weight of love. "...we have arrived at my final song of the night."
She looked straight into the central camera lens, her dark eyes shining with an unshakeable devotion that made the entire world hold its breath.
"This isn’t a farewell song," Yerin whispered. "This is a love song. A song written specifically for me... by the man who holds my heart."
HUMMMMMM.
A single, velvet-smooth piano chord resonated through the venue. Yerin raised her voice, launching into the final track, the romantic anthem I’d written exclusively for her.
The moment her first vocal note resonated through the air, it was as if an ethereal, divine spell descended upon the entire city. It was the most beautiful thing any human or supernatural entity had ever witnessed.
Her voice didn’t just carry melody, it carried a passive, breathtaking conceptual aura. A sweet, dreamy trance washed over the stadium, pulling every listener into a vivid, waking illusion. In their minds, people saw memories of their cherished loved ones, feeling the warmth of deep affection, gentle embraces, and timeless peace.
The stadium fell into absolute stillness. No one moved. No one cheered. Two hundred thousand people sat completely entranced, floating in the sweet, intoxicating paradise created by her voice.
Inside the VIP skybox, the effect was just as profound. Mom was dabbing her eyes with a lace handkerchief, leaning her head against Julian’s shoulder, while Julian stared out the window with an unusually soft, reflective gaze. Even Grandfather Alistair closed his eyes, leaning heavily on his silver cane, completely immersed in the performance.
Standing by the glass, I couldn’t even find the words to describe what I was feeling. It felt as though Yerin had gently reached into my chest, carved my heart wide open, and built a permanent palace for herself inside my soul. A profound wave of love washed over me, leaving me utterly spellbound by the girl on that stage.
DINK.
The final piano key faded into silence. For five solid seconds, not a single sound echoed across the massive stadium. The silence was so dense you could hear a pin drop, broken only by the quiet sounds of sobbing fans drying their eyes.
Then...
RUMBLE... BOOM!!
An explosive roar of cheers, wails, and frantic clapping erupted from the crowd, completely shattering the trance as fans jumped to their feet, giving a standing ovation that shook the skybox glass.