Could this much good happen without consequences?
His thoughts were tangled just as the mic raised naturally to his lips. The music shifted to a softer bridge, and it was the perfect moment.
“Can I be this happy, or is there a catch?
Will the sunlight fade if I grow too attached?
Is this the calm before it breaks apart?
A borrowed dream, a fragile heart.”
The lyrics flowed gently from his mouth, soft but striking. His voice was warm, deep, and clear.
The room stilled.
The other LUNAIRE girls stopped mid-step. Meanwhile, the camera zoomed in just as the comments flooded in real-time.
– Zeno Han can sing?
– My boyfriend just sighed from the other room. I had been fangirling too much because of this new guy, and I just found out that he can sing.
– Did everyone forget about Sing or Sync? He was a good singer there!
– It’s jarring compared to the first two people who sang. That’s why he sounds extra good.
– Tell me this wasn’t scripted. TELL ME.
Mei’s eyes widened slightly as she kept moving, but she glanced at him with a look of surprise. The girls picked up their choreography again, though several were sneaking glances his way.
Directors, especially those who were looking for prospects of actors who could actually sing, felt like they had an epiphany.
“…What is that voice?!”
“That’s not live… Is it?”
“Is he singing for real? That was live.”
“This is just unfair at this point.”
Risa’s heart skipped a beat… or maybe even two or three. She didn’t even realize she was holding her breath until Yuan groaned beside her.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Yuan muttered, slapping his thigh. “He’s handsome, he’s talented, he acts, sings, and probably rescues dogs on weekends. He’s too good of a human.”
Zeno couldn’t hear them well. To be fair, he was all those things… except for rescuing dogs. Aside from Maxie, it seemed animals still weren’t fond of him.
Ian, amazed by Zeno, slid his chair subtly closer, wanting to get close to him and strike up a conversation. In fact, he had been wanting to all night.
However, Zeno gave him a single flat sideways look, and Ian backed off immediately.
The stage brightened again as the LUNAIRE girls finished their set with a final pose and a shout.
“Thank you! We were LUNAIRE!”
The crowd erupted in applause.
Sora Kim walked back on stage, smiling warmly, her energy still glowing despite the surprise that had just occurred.
Phoenix, on the other hand, felt like he had aged just a few years. ‘He can also sing…,’ it echoed over and over again in his mind.
Even the cast of Lucy’s Game, especially Minjae and his gang felt like they were being ripped to shreds and then fed to the lost wolves of the Alps. That was how bad Minjae felt for seeing that Zeno was even more talented and successful than he was.
“What a wonderful intermission performance!” Sora gestured toward the stage where LUNAIRE had just performed. Then, she turned back to the audience.
“Of course, the night is still young, and more awards are coming. In fact, it’s time for another major one—the Best Drama Award!”
“There have been a lot of standout dramas for the first half of the year, but only one drama can get this award.”
After the nominations were shown, a golden envelope was handed to the presenter.
“The award for Best Drama goes to… The Forsaken Prince!”
Thunderous applause was heard across the dome. The cast and staff members stood, with Daeshim PD leading them all. They walked to the stage as a group, flanked by flashing lights and rising orchestral cues.
Daeshim PD took the mic for the speech.
“This project was a story about sacrifice, dignity, and the cost of power,” he began. “We were lucky to have actors who gave it life. Thank you to the crew, the fans, the producers, our main writer, Annie, … of course, the man who played our Prince with so much depth, Zeno Han.”
Another round of applause.
Zeno didn’t understand why he was acknowledged separately, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.
Instead, he bowed slightly and waited for his system to acknowledge that his first mission was finally finished.
However, there was nothing.
That was odd.
They returned to their seats, and for a moment, the cast chatted, cheerful and free.
“I really thought we wouldn’t win,” Yuan said, kicking his legs a little.
“You’re joking, right?” Shin chimed.
“Nah, I expected it,” Yuan smirked. “It was already ours, to begin with, and with Zeno winning left and right, it was bound to happen!”
Meanwhile, Zeno still had one thought in his mind—why no notification?
The lights dimmed again.
“Next up,” Phoenix said smoothly from the stage, “we have the Best Variety Show Award!”
The nominees were once again shown.
“The winner is… Lucy’s Game!”
Zeno, again, had to get up.
As he walked past the aisle, someone joked, “You’re going to need a suitcase for all these.”
He offered a faint smile, took the award with the rest of the crew, and returned.
Just as he was about to sit, Sora Kim cut in once more.
“And now, the New Variety Star Award…”
– Zeno can’t sit down now, can he?
– Did someone pay the showmakers for Zeno to win all of the time?
– What do you mean? It would be weird if Zeno didn’t win these awards. The proof is all there!
– It seems like he’s tired of this, too.
– His performance was the most remarkable in Lucy’s Game, though.
– That is very much true. People who are denying it are just straight haters.
Zeno anticipated his win this time. It might be that he needed to win four individual awards for his mission to finally end.
This was his fourth personal one.
Phoenix opened the card with a small sigh.
“The winner is… Zeno Han!”
“You tired yet, Zeno?” Sora teased with a grin as he stood from his seat.
Zeno merely bowed in response before walking over to the stage.
The notification had to come now!
… and it did, causing him to smile momentarily. However, as he read the first notification, he froze just for a moment.
[Notification: Mission Result – First Mission: Failed.]
[Total Awards Won: 6]
[Original mission: To win four awards. Exceeded.]
[Pain Trial will begin in: 00:30:00]