Echoes in the Backstage

The city is loud. So very loud. Among those treading through the streets, most could be seen with their ears covered by buds or headphones.

Music.

It was nearly everywhere, and while they were off in their own little worlds, one of them stopped to witness it all.

At first, it was unnoticeable, as it was just an aspect of everyday life. Today, however, it seemed much more perceptible than ever before, and it was no wonder why.

Upon the side of the tallest building in the bustling square, a massive screen was broadcasting live news. It was a man behind a desk, and although nothing could be heard, it was clear from the headlines what he was talking about.

The headline near the bottom of the screen read: "Sunayomi's newest album takes Japan by storm, solidifying their position as one of the fastest-growing idol groups in the country!"

A trio of young boys stopped to stare at the screen as it shifted to a recording of their most recent live performance.

"Tch... Everyone and their moms are playing their songs on repeat," one of them grunted. "They're so freaking overrated."

"Huh?! What are you even talking about?!" another exclaimed. "Their songs are good, their dancing is even better, and they're all so freaking beautiful."

"Yeah, man," said the third to the first. "You didn't go to their last concert, so you wouldn't understand. Dang... I'd kill just to marry one of them."

"Dude... You need a hobby. Badly," the first one muttered.

"And you need to quit kidding yourself. There's no way you don't think they're hot."

"I mean, I guess, but that's probably the best thing about them. Songs are mid, dance moves are admittedly good, but come on. It shouldn't be 'this' popular."

The second one shook his head. "Spoken like a true uncultured swine. Trust me. After the comeback concert today, you're gonna regret these words."

"We'll see."

The day went on, but the music never stopped. The play count continued to rise, a testament to the popularity of Sunayomi.

Soon, it was time for the moment that the nation was waiting for: Sunayomi's comeback concert.

The venue was fully packed with people waving light sticks, anticipating the arrival of the main attraction. Even though the concert had yet to begin, it was loud. So very loud.

Backstage, crew members were running around like ants, checking, double-checking, and triple-checking to make sure that everything was in order. For such an event like, it could not be any less than perfect.

While the workers continued their tasks, a manager was stationed in the very middle, passing around orders left and right. He then turned to a hooded young man with headphones on.

"Hey, you!" he shouted. "Check with the sound guys. Make sure the systems are good to go for showtime."

"On it," the young man replied.

He made his way through a small corridor until he reached two workers next to a complicated system of sound mixers.

"Shit..." one of them muttered nervously. "It's still not working, ma'am."

The other one, a woman, walked up and assessed the system, but she, too, could not figure out what the problem was.

"Inform Sunayomi's manager," she ordered. "Showtime is in twenty minutes. We need this fixed now."

"Yes, ma'am."

The two of them left through a corridor to the side, leaving the young man on his own. He glanced over at the system, before turning back around. However, he stopped, for he could not contain himself from such a rare occasion.

He then emerged from the corner and made himself at home. He took his headphones and wore them over his hood.

For a fleeting moment, his eyes sparked with life, and a faint smirk danced on his lips. His fingers glided over the entire system—every knob, every button, every switch. He moved with such fluidity, such familiarity, it was as if he'd been in front of it his entire life.

Right then, the others came back, and they could only watch in awe as the boy was flipping switches and clicking around the laptop nearby.

"M-ma'am...? Is this allowed?" the man whispered to the other.

"Technically speaking, no. Not at all," the woman replied with a smile.

"Then... Shouldn't we be stopping him? He might mess it up more than it already was."

"Nah. Let's see where this goes."

"Eh?! B-but he seems way too young."

"Yeah, that's true. However... Look at him. His hands aren't moving at random. There's a reason behind his every move. I wasn't sure at first, but now I'm confident. He's a pro."

A mere ten seconds later, the young man took off the headphones. He then stood up to leave, but he paused when he saw the two who were still standing there.

"Check it," the woman said.

The doubtful man snatched the headphones and tested the sounds. With an expression of shock, he turned around to stare at his colleague.

"It's... it's working," he mumbled.

"Hah! Well, I'll be damned," the woman grinned. "For a kid, you sure know your stuff. Good job."

"Thanks," the young man said.

"You're with Yori Entertainment, right?"

"As a contractor, yes."

"Huh? Just a contractor? And they're allowing you to do maintenance work?"

"Well... Not exactly," he said, before reaching for his earpiece. "Director Na. Sounds, check."

"Eh? You sure about that?" the director noticed. "I just got a heads-up from the sound guys, and they said that the system was malfunctioning."

"There was an issue, but it's all handled now."

"Looks like I chose the right guy for the job. The concert starts in about twenty minutes. You wanna go find a seat before they all get taken up?"

"I'm okay."

"You sure? It's easy money just to watch the show."

"Again, I'm okay. Just tell me where I'm needed."

"Sheesh. You're strange, kid. Only you would ever give a response like that to my question. Alright. Meet me at the left wing. I'll find somewhere to put you."

"Yes, sir."

The young man let go of his earpiece and took one last look at the sound system.

"Color me impressed," the woman scoffed. "You weren't lying, and you've got your skills to back that up. Here."

From her pocket, she pulled out a business card and handed it to him.

"I'm inviting you for a full-time position. We specialize in working with events like these. A kid with your skills is wasted as a contractor."

The young man kept his eyes on the business card, yet his face was void of any reactions or emotions other than simple apathy.

"Sorry," he said as he handed the card back. "I'm content with my current position."

As stunned as the woman was, she managed to let out a subtle laugh. "Well, if what you say is true, then I can't convince you."

"Mhm. Then, I'll be off."

With that, he walked off, disappearing into the depths of the backstage. The shadows swallowed him whole, offering a sanctuary free from the chaos—a quiet, hidden place where he could finally be alone, far from prying eyes and unwanted company.