As soon as Iris and the band members reached backstage, Blaze and Thunder started cheering in triumph. Even the usually silent and brooding Night had an uncharacteristic grin on his face.
"That was out of this world, Senior Iris!" Blaze exclaimed. "We had no idea that you can play the guitar like that! It's official. You're the coolest female I know in my entire life!"
"Yeah! I think that was the best performance we ever had as a band. Goddess, you're the best!" Thunder added.
Night nodded.
Iris tilted her head to the side. "You're incomplete as a band tonight, so it doesn't count."
At the reminder of their missing band mate, Eros, the three felt guilty. They were still happy about their performance but now they realized that the feeling was incomplete because they weren't sharing it with their brother.
She smiled seeing their expressions. "Don't worry. We'll perform again when Eros is healed from his injuries. Then we'll aim to really have your best performance as a complete band."
"Really, Senior? You want to perform with us again? That's not just lip service, right?" Blaze asked.
"Yes, I want to work with you again after this," she replied.
"I'm so stoked!" Thunder pumped his fists in the air and moved to pounce on Iris for a friendly hug but someone grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him forcefully away. "What the hell, man?! What are you do—"
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"S-sorry, man…Ch-chill out, 'kay?"
Iris gently removed the hand gripping Thunder's collar. Then she rubbed the hand and smiled at the masked man. The dangerous aura coming from the tall man disappeared.
The three band members heaved sighs of big relief. However, they soon watched Iris and her bodyguard more carefully. The two weren't doing anything inappropriate, but they could see that Iris treated her bodyguard with affection. In turn, they noticed that the bodyguard stood too closely to her.
They had suspicions about the relationship between the two, but it wasn't any of their business. Besides, she helped them tremendously tonight. Not only that, she made their performance shine in many ways that they couldn't achieve on their own. They might be foolish at times, but they wouldn't bite the hand that fed them.
"I had a great time performing with you. I need to return to my dressing room now and get ready for my next performance," she told them.
"Of course, Senior. Thank you very much for your help tonight! We'll stay and make sure to watch your performance later and cheer for you."
She nodded and left them. The masked Jin Liwei walked beside her while Dom and Jiang Ying Yue followed behind them. On their way to the dressing room, the show's staff and the other artists greeted her warmly, and praised and congratulated her for her performance with Pandemonium.
Finally, they reached her dressing room. As soon as the door closed, Jin Liwei removed his mask, pulled Iris in his arms and kissed her deeply.
"Turn around!" Jiang Ying Yue barked at the shocked make-up artist and hair stylist. "You too, Dom!"
"Sorry, love. I couldn't stop myself," Jin Liwei murmured after the kiss.
He felt so much better now that his baby girl was in his arms. He knew that he had no reason to feel jealous of the three pests, but seeing them acting too familiarly with her just awakened the ugly green-eyed monster within him.
"Mmn…" Iris hugged his waist, feeling good after the kiss.
She had no idea that it was a punishment kiss because he was jealous. She thought that it was her present for performing well onstage.
"You were magnificent. So beautiful. The best," he told her while stroking her hair and kissing her head.
She smiled and hugged him tighter. "Thanks, darling."
They were interrupted by the loud sound of a ringing phone.
"Oopsie doopsie~ Sorry boss, sir boss!" Dom removed the towel from his head and answered his phone. "Hello, Big Sis Yiyi? How's Eros? Oh, that's a relief. I'm glad that he's okay. Ehehe. I know, right? Boss was so amazing! She rocked the stage! Of course, the others were great too… Okay, okay. Here's boss."
Iris released Jin Liwei's waist and spoke to her manager on the phone. Jin Liwei wore the mask again and then sat on the couch.
They thought that the tall masked man was Iris' bodyguard but after seeing the two acting so intimate, they now concluded that the two were lovers. Their attention was also now caught by the diamond ring on Iris' finger. Their tongues wanted to wag so badly, but they stopped themselves. Not only would they get into legal trouble for violating the NDA if they gossiped, but they also didn't want to lose their jobs because Iris paid well.
After the phone call, Iris instructed the two to change her hairstyle and modify her make-up for her solo performance later. She also changed into another dress. They watched the other performances on the TV in the room while waiting for her turn.
###
"I'm dead when awake
Alive when asleep
How do I live when there is no you
Except in my dreams at night…"
The audience was completely silent as they watched Iris perform a second time tonight. She sat playing in front of the piano, wearing an elegant black and red gown. She was like a dark empress instilling sadness, loneliness and even fear to her subjects.
Her voice sounded so otherworldly in this version of "Phantom of Your Love" that many in the audience shrank into their seats. The music was beautiful and mind-blowing but it was also…frightening. It didn't sound like music from the human world but from the netherworld instead.
Iris' pale make-up and dark, smoky eyeshadow made her look like a phantom beauty. Her current performance was the total opposite of her flashy performance with Pandemonium earlier.
Usually, total silence was an indication of disinterest and boredom from the audience during a performance. This time, however, it was an indication of total focus and immersion with the music.
Even the director became too dazed that he forgot to switch cameras many times during the broadcast. However, nobody really noticed his mistakes because everyone else was also dazed like him. It was like Iris hypnotized them with her music. It was actually scary.
With the phantom of your…love…."
After the performance, there was pin-drop silence. The audience couldn't think clearly yet. It was only when some of the Black Stars automatically clapped their hands for their Boss Iris that the other members of the audience began clapping as well. The applause was weak and scattered at first but became stronger, louder and more enthusiastic as the people gradually recovered from their musical daze.
"Iris! Iris! Iris!"
They chanted her name. Her double comeback performances for tonight exceeded all of their expectations. She was so impressive that it was unbelievable.
Iris gave a deep curtsy bow to the audience and then to her symphony orchestra. The applause and cheers roared even more loudly.
Finally, the long-awaited interview arrived. As this wasn't a formal interview and because of Tang Yiyi's request beforehand, the hosts didn't ask Iris anything about Fan Luo or the other rumours surrounding her abrupt disappearance. They focused on her two performances tonight instead.
After Iris promoted her upcoming soundtrack album and the soon-to-be-released film "Strong Yet Broken", the hosts received signal from their earpieces that they should end the interview. The male host was about to end it, but the female host couldn't hold herself back anymore.
"Iris, I can't take my eyes off your diamond ring," she said. "It's so beautiful."
