The cheers didn't stop, even as Ji Hyo stood from his seat and slung his guitar over his shoulder. The excitement in the air was still buzzing, the energy of the performance lingering like the final notes of a song that no one wanted to end.
"That's all for tonight," he repeated, his voice slightly hoarse but carrying a soft warmth. "Thank you, everyone, for listening."
The crowd responded with another wave of applause and cheers, some even whistling in appreciation. The park, which had started with only a few onlookers, was now packed with people—some standing on the outskirts, others still holding up their phones to capture the moment.
A high school girl in the front row, her face still flushed from excitement, cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, "Will you perform again tomorrow?"
Ji Hyo hesitated, momentarily caught off guard. The thought of doing this again… it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, something inside him stirred at the idea of continuing this connection with people through his music. But he had other things to focus on—building his career, figuring out his next steps.
With a small, apologetic smile, he answered, "I'm not sure yet. I still have a lot of plans, and I'll be busy."
A few disappointed murmurs rippled through the crowd, but before anyone could protest, he turned slightly and gestured toward Xin and Ling. "But these two will always be here to perform."
Xin, who had been standing beside him, blinked before laughing. "Wow, way to pass the responsibility onto us."
Ling, still sniffling dramatically from his earlier years, clutched his chest. "We are honored by your recommendation, Great Ji Hyo."
The crowd chuckled, easing into a more relaxed atmosphere now that the night was winding down.
"Seriously though," Xin added, stepping forward. "Thank you, everyone, for being with us tonight. We do this because we love music, and it means the world that you all stayed and listened."
Ling, always the dramatic one, raised his arms as if to embrace the entire audience. "Yes! We, humble street performers, are blessed by your presence!"
The lighthearted moment softened the bittersweet feeling of Ji Hyo's uncertain answer.
With one final nod to the audience, Ji Hyo adjusted his guitar strap and took a deep breath. "Good night, everyone."
The audience started leaving, some still glancing back at him as they walked away. A few even bowed slightly as they passed, murmuring soft words of appreciation. Ji Hyo gave small nods in return, still feeling the warmth of their lingering emotions.
Nearby, Xin and Ling were already packing up, gathering their mic stands and sorting out their belongings. Ji Hyo turned to help them when, out of nowhere, an arm draped over his shoulders, pulling him into a casual yet firm hold.
"Proud of you, Ji Hyo," a familiar voice said, filled with amusement.
Ji Hyo startled and turned his head, only to be met with Felix's grinning face. His heart jumped in surprise. "Felix?! How long have you been here?"
Felix chuckled, his eyes glinting playfully. "Hmm… let's see. I think I arrived right about the moment you captivated your audience. Which means… I was here the whole time."
Ji Hyo blinked, his expression caught between embarrassment and curiosity. "You were watching?"
Felix smirked. "Of course. How could I miss something this incredible? You were amazing out there." His voice lowered slightly, just enough to make Ji Hyo pause. "I think you captivated my heart too."
Ji Hyo froze. His mind stuttered for a moment, processing Felix's words, but before he could react, Felix suddenly reached up and ruffled his hair, completely messing it up.
"My cute little shark knows how to hypnotize a whole school of fish," Felix teased, laughing as he pulled away.
Ji Hyo's cheeks burned for reasons he couldn't quite understand. Was it because of the compliment? Or the way Felix had said it? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that his heart felt strangely light, fluttering like the remnants of a song still lingering in the air.
They were then interrupted when Xin and Ling finished packing up. Ling practically bounced toward Ji Hyo, his eyes shining with excitement as he held up a small bag full of money.
"Ji Hyo! Look at this!" Ling exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "We earned a lot tonight! This is the most we've ever made in one night!"
Xin crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. "We need to figure out how to split this. But first, Ji Hyo, you take the biggest share. It's only fair."
Ji Hyo blinked, taken aback. He quickly shook his head, raising his hands in refusal. "No, I don't need it. You two should keep it."
Xin's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way! This is insane! Even if we performed every day for three months, we wouldn't earn this much. It's all because of you!"
Ling nodded furiously. "Yeah! We can't just take all of it!"
Ji Hyo, however, remained firm, a small smile playing on his lips. "I really don't need it. Just use it for whatever you need. Maybe get better equipment or treat yourselves to something nice."
Xin and Ling exchanged a hesitant glance, clearly reluctant but unable to argue further. Eventually, they sighed in surrender.
"Fine," Xin muttered. "But we're treating you to a feast. No arguments."
Ji Hyo chuckled but didn't respond, letting them believe what they wanted.
It was then that Xin and Ling finally noticed Felix standing beside Ji Hyo, watching the whole exchange with an amused smirk. Their eyes widened, and Ling nudged Xin.
"Who's this?" Xin asked, eyeing Felix curiously.
Ji Hyo cleared his throat, realizing he hadn't introduced them yet. "Ah… this is Felix. He's—"
"His friend," Felix cut in smoothly, throwing an arm around Ji Hyo's shoulders again. He grinned at the two. "Nice to meet you guys."
Xin and Ling exchanged a look, then turned back to Felix, unsure of what to make of him.
Felix, however, was completely at ease. "I gotta say, I'm really happy my cute little shark has found some good friends." His gaze flickered toward Ji Hyo with a teasing glint. "He tends to keep people at a distance, you know?"
Ji Hyo coughed, suddenly feeling warm again. "Yahh—"
Xin and Ling, on the other hand, seemed to accept Felix's presence almost instantly. Ling grinned. "Well, we're happy to have him around! He's incredible!"
Xin nodded. "Yeah. Though, I'm curious… 'cute little shark'?"
Felix chuckled. "Ah, you see, Ji Hyo has this habit of hypnotizing people when he sings—adorably so. It's like watching a predator lure in its prey." He shot Ji Hyo a playful wink. "A very, very pretty predator. That's why I call him my cute shark, because—"
Ji Hyo groaned, cutting him off by clamping a hand over his mouth. "Alright, I'm hungry. Let's eat."
Felix's muffled laughter only confirmed that this was going to be a long night.
Xin chuckled at Ji Hyo's actions. "Alright. But we're paying this time."
Ji Hyo shook his head. "No, I'll treat—"
"Nope," Ling said firmly. "You refused the money from our performance. So we're using some of it to treat you instead."
Ji Hyo wanted to argue, but Xin clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Just let us do this, Ji Hyo. Consider it our way of saying thanks."
Sighing, Ji Hyo gave up, knowing he wouldn't win.
The four of them found a cozy food stall on the street, the smell of grilled meat and warm broth filling the air. They settled onto the small stools, their table soon filled with steaming bowls of noodles, skewers of meat, and small side dishes.
The night was peaceful as they ate, the street buzzing with quiet chatter from other customers. The warm glow of the streetlights and the occasional passing car made everything feel strangely intimate.
They talked about everything and nothing—Xin and Ling shared funny stories about their street performances, Felix teased Ji Hyo about his sudden rise in popularity, and Ji Hyo, for once, simply enjoyed the moment.
Felix leaned back, chewing on a skewer. "You know, Ji Hyo, you should perform more often. You belong on a stage."
Ji Hyo looked down at his bowl, stirring his noodles. "Maybe."
Felix raised an eyebrow. "Maybe?"
Ji Hyo let out a small smile. "I just… want to take my time."
Xin and Ling exchanged a glance, then smiled.
"Whatever you decide, we'll be cheering for you," Ling said with sincerity.
Ji Hyo looked at them, warmth blooming in his chest.
The dinner came to an end, and Xin and Ling said their goodbyes. Ji Hyo watched as they disappeared into the night, leaving him alone with Felix.
Felix turned to him, his usual playful expression softening into something more genuine. "Let me accompany you back."
Ji Hyo pondered for a moment. He had never let anyone send him home before, always preferring to walk alone. Felix, however, didn't push—he simply waited, silent, watching Ji Hyo as if he would accept any answer without complaint.
However… Ji Hyo agreed.
Felix's eyes widened slightly, his whole body tensing before he almost jumped in surprise. "Wait, really? You're actually letting me?"
Ji Hyo raised a brow. "You asked me to let you send me back. It seems like you don't want to, so I'll just go back alone."
Felix's reaction was immediate. He reached out and grabbed Ji Hyo's wrist before he could turn away. "No, no! I want to. I really do."
His grip was firm yet gentle, and there was a smile tugging at his lips, something both pleased and amused. Ji Hyo, on the other hand, merely sighed and started walking.
Felix quickly fell into step beside him, hands in his pockets, a slight bounce in his step. "You're full of surprises tonight, Ji Hyo."
Ji Hyo didn't respond right away, just looking up at the dark sky as they walked through the quiet streets. "Don't get used to it."
Felix laughed, the sound warm in the cool night air.