June leaned closer to Haruki, who still seed to be enjoying the auditioning process. June didn't know how many people had sung and danced, but all he knew was that he was tired.
"How long until this is over?" he asked.
Haruki looked at his watch and humd. "Well, I was also here last year. It ended around evening."
"Evening?" June exclaid, unable to keep his voice down.
Jay, along with the board of executives, turned to him with curious eyes.
June sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"What did I sign up for?" he muttered. It was only the afternoon! They were going to start practicing for their holiday performances tomorrow, too.
However, even when June was tired, he tried hard to focus on the performances. He knew that a lot of the aspirants plucked up the courage to co to the audition.
It probably wasn't an easy decision, so the least thing June could do was watch their performances with sincerity-no matter how difficult it was.
Like Haruki said, the auditions went on until late into the night. It was well past dinner ti, and most of those watching were already fatigued.
The executives at the table were now slouched in their seats. The coffee cups in front of them were empty, and their eyes darted toward the clock more than the stage.
The last batch of auditionees shuffled nervously in the wings, waiting their turn.
June pursed his lips. They must have waited for a long ti, too.
"Let's do this," he whispered, waking himself up for the last batch of the day.
They started going one by one, and like most of the hopefuls, a lot of them lacked the star factor that Phoenix was looking for.
That is until a young man stepped forward.
He looked out of place-too simple, almost forgettable.
His clothes were plain, a simple white button-up tucked into worn jeans. Slung over his shoulder was a guitar, its strap frayed at the edges.
He didn't exude the flashy confidence that so many before him had tried to project.
Instead, he seed grounded, like he belonged to a world far from the entertainnt industry.
June adjusted his posture, intrigued. He glanced down at the profile in front of him. The na 'Ivan Lee' was scrawled at the top, followed by a short biography. He skimd through the details, murmuring under his breath.
"''Ivan Lee,'' he read aloud, tapping the paper lightly. "That's his stage na. He's 17 years old. Alright, that's good enough," he continued.
His eyes darted to the next section, and his brows furrowed slightly. "Ca from the province... a farr."
The executives exchanged weary glances, barely looking at Ivan.
June caught it and felt slightly irritated. He didn't care how late it was-everyone deserved attention.
He was even fighting through his own sleepiness! But more than that, there was sothing about Ivan.
Ivan bowed politely. "Good evening. My na is Ivan Lee, and I'll be performing a song I wrote called 'A Simple Life.""
One of the executives stifled a yawn, leaning back in their chair. "Another original song," they muttered under their breath.
June's eyes narrowed. Ignoring the murmurs, he leaned closer. Ivan adjusted the strap, strumd his guitar once, and began.
"I wake up with the morning sun,
Feel the earth beneath my feet.
The air is clean, the world is still,
And this is all I need."
He let out a small breath before continuing.
"No fancy lights, no crowded halls,
No rushing through the day.
Just quiet nights and peaceful skies,
Where I can find my way."
The chorus ca, and June felt like he was being transported to the simple life that Ivan was singing about.
"Give fields of green and skies of blue,
A ho to keep, a heart that's true.
No need for riches, fa, or strife,
Just let live a simple life."
The lody was unpretentious. It was bare in its simplicity, yet there was sothing
magnetic about it.
Ivan's voice wasn't the most powerful, but it carried sincerity.
The executives, despite their tiredness, seed to sit a little straighter.
June didn't move. His eyes were locked on Ivan, taking in every note.
The lyrics weren't groundbreaking either, but they painted a vivid picture.
The final chord lingered in the air. Ivan stepped back, bowing again. "Thank you," he said
quietly.
For a mont, the room was still. Then, one of the executives sighed, scribbling sothing
on their notes.
"Well, he's got a nice tone," soone muttered dismissively.
"Too simple," another said. "Not marketable enough."
"Nothing special," a third chid in, already flipping to the next profile.
June felt a flash of anger, but he kept his expression neutral. He watched as Ivan took a step back, his shoulders slightly hunched.
When the last auditionee had finished, one of the executives clapped their hands together. "Alright, that's it. Let's wrap this up. Honestly, no one really stood out for the last batch."
"I wouldn't say that," June said, his voice cutting through the chatter.
The room turned to him, surprised. Jay, seated beside him, raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
June leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. "Ivan Lee."
One of the board executives let out a short laugh. "The farr kid? You're kidding, right?"
"I'm not," June replied firmly. "There's sothing about him."
Another executive groaned. "June, I get it. You're tired; we're all tired. But co on. He's not idol material. His song was nice, but it's not enough."
June stood, placing his hands on the table. "Not enough? Did you even listen to him?" "That song wasn't just nice—it was honest. Do you know how rare that is? He's not trying to impress anyone with flashy techniques or overproduced tracks. He's real. And we need that."
They still looked skeptical. "Real doesn't sell, June."
"It will," June shot back. "Because people are craving authenticity. You let him go, and I guarantee you'll regret it."
The room fell silent. Jay studied him for a mont, then leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "You're really putting your neck out for this guy, huh?"
June didn't flinch. "I am. And I'm right."
Jay exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Fine. You believe in him that much? He's in."
June nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
Well, it seed like Phoenix's future wouldn't be too bad.
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