Crisha followed Jason quietly. He had told her that Kenneth wanted to talk to her, and now they stood outside the place where his band practiced.
"We're here," Jason said. "Let's go."
She nodded and stepped inside.
The first thing she noticed was the instruments—carefully arranged guitars, a drum set, microphones, cables. It felt intimidating… but exciting too.
"Hey, Kean, where's Kenneth?" Jason asked one of the band members.
"There," Kean replied, pointing toward the corner. He glanced briefly at Crisha, said nothing, and walked away with his drumsticks.
Crisha inhaled softly when her eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting down.
Kenneth.
"Ken," Jason called. "Crisha's here."
Kenneth looked up and met her gaze. "You know why I asked you to come, right?"
"Yes," she replied softly. "The president said you wanted to talk to me."
He stood up and paced for a moment before stopping in front of her.
"I want to invite you to join our band."
Her eyes widened. "Y–Your band?"
"Yes," he answered simply.
"I–Is this the favor you meant when you watched me perform?" she asked hesitantly.
Deep down, she admitted the truth to herself—they intimidate me… except Jason.
"Think what you want," Kenneth said calmly, "but no. We've been searching for another member, and you fit what we're missing."
"B–But I'm not that good," she protested, shaking her head.
Kenneth frowned slightly. "It's you, Crisha. My instincts tell me you have a talent you haven't fully unlocked yet. You know how to hold a crowd—with just your voice and your presence."
Her cheeks warmed.
"B–But people mistake me for the Pop Princess," she said nervously. "I don't want to steal her identity. She's brave… I'm not."
"You don't need to be her," Kenneth replied firmly. "Just be you."
He paused, then added, "And this opportunity can help you with your studies too."
Her eyes flickered. "Is… the band a school club?"
He smiled. "Sharp. Yes. Being part of it helps maintain your scholarship. And it also means extra income."
Her breath caught.
"Not just for you," he continued gently, "but for your family too."
Is that really possible? she wondered.
"B–But I still sing at the club," she said carefully.
"That's fine," Kenneth assured her. "We don't perform every day. Sometimes competitions, sometimes gigs. We even travel."
Travel…?Just how big is this band?
Kenneth tapped her shoulder lightly. "So—do you want to try?"
"C–Can I be a probationary member first?" she asked softly. "I'm not used to being around so many people."
Kenneth smiled. "That's fair."
Jason let out a relieved chuckle and patted her shoulder.
Kenneth turned to the others. "Guys, this is Crisha. She'll be joining us as a probationary member."
One of them sighed dramatically. "So we just have to win her over, huh?"
Crisha blushed.
"Exactly," Kenneth replied with a grin.
"So does this mean we can finally join the big competitions?" Kean asked.
"Yes," Kenneth sighed. "But we'll also need to deal with all the postponed gigs."
Crisha looked at Jason, confused.
"We had to cancel a lot of requests while we were incomplete," Jason explained. "Clients didn't want a partial band."
He smiled at her. "But it'll be a good experience."
"I'm Gian," one of the members said, offering his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"N–Nice to meet you," she replied.
"Welcome, Crisha!" the twins greeted together, making her blink in surprise.
"You'll get used to them," Kenneth said with a small laugh.
For the first time in a long while, Crisha felt… accepted.
No one cared that she was a scholar. No one judged her background.
From then on, she joined their practices. Even as a probationary member, the band patiently guided her whenever she struggled. And she always gave her best—because she knew how much this meant to them.
She would never forget her first performance.
"J–Jason," she whispered backstage, peeking at the crowd. "I feel dizzy. There are so many people…"
Jason chuckled. "That's normal. But I know you can do this."
Kenneth tapped her back. "You'll be fine."
The band name was announced. Cheers erupted.
When the spotlight landed on her, the crowd fell silent.
"Is that the Pop Princess?" someone whispered.
Kenneth smirked. "I'd love to invite her, but that's not allowed. This is our new member—Crisha. Our lead singer."
Murmurs followed, then nods.
"If Ken trusts her, then we trust her," someone shouted.
Kenneth smiled. "Thank you for supporting us. Now that we're complete—the best is yet to come."
The crowd roared.
"So please," he said, turning to her, "welcome Crisha!"
Applause surrounded her.
And for the first time, she didn't shrink away.
The performance went smoothly—better than she ever expected.
Afterward, Kenneth smiled at her. "See? You can do it."
The more time she spent with them, the more she grew to love the band. She still sang at the club that first welcomed her, and the extra income helped her family greatly.
But she never forgot to keep her feet on the ground.
She was grateful.
Grateful—for the chance, for the trust, and for the courage she was slowly learning to claim.