<🎧 Song Recommendation: All I Want by Kodaline (not chapter's song)>
...
The rain began as a gentle mist but quickly escalated into a steady downpour, splattering softly against the lonely streets of Lincoln Road.
It was a late hour and the usual crowd of tourists had long since retreated.
On a wooden bench near the fountain, two figures sat exposed to the elements.
One was a man hunched over, his clothes ragged and soaked and his head bent low in defeat. The other was Von.
The rain plastered his black hair to his forehead, giving him a raw, cinematic look. He ignored the water dripping down his neck. He was deeply absorbed in his craft, his fingers dancing over the wet strings of his guitar.
But the weather was merely a backdrop. The real storm was in the melody he was playing... a melancholic, hopeful tune that cut through the sound of the rain.
🎸 ♪
You're gonna come home!
You're gonna come home!
You're gonna come home!
🎸 ♪
Von's voice, now raspy from hours of singing, carried a weight it hadn't possessed before.
🎸 ♪
If you wanna come home...
Then you gotta come... home.
🎸 ♪ 🎸 ♪
He let the final chord fade into the sound of the rain.
The man on the bench slowly lifted his head. His eyes were red, washed clean by the rain and tears. He stood up stiffly and walked toward Von.
"Sir..." the man's rough voice cracked. "Your song... it really touched me."
He wiped his nose with a dirty sleeve. "I ran away from my folks six months ago. Just... packed up and left because I was too proud to admit I messed up. I've been sleeping out here, thinking about going back every day, but the shame... it was too much."
He looked at Von, his eyes pleading. "Hearing that... it brought back memories I thought I killed. It gave me back something I lost. Thank you."
He bent down, intending to kneel on the wet pavement, careful not to touch Von with his grimy hands.
Suddenly, he felt warmth envelope him.
Von had pulled off his own jacket and draped it over the man's shivering shoulders. Before the man could react, Von pulled him into a firm hug, ignoring the smell and the dirt.
"Sorry, bud," Von said softly, patting the man's back. "I understand there's a hard life out there, and we all make mistakes. But trust me... every mistake can be fixed. It's all a matter of you."
Von pulled back, gripping the man's shoulders. He pointed a finger at the man's chest.
"Now, man up. Go back to your family if you want to. They'll be waiting for you. Trust me."
Tears welled up in the man's eyes again. He pulled Von into a tighter hug, sobbing openly now. "Thank you! Thank you! I won't forget you. I'm going back. Tonight."
Von ignored the snot on his shoulder. He patted the man one last time as they broke the embrace.
"Best of luck, pal!"
The man punched his chest in a silent salute. Von watched him turn and walk away, his step lighter, heading toward the bus station.
Von checked his phone.
11:39 PM.
"That was a close one," he whispered.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You've gained a loyal fan!]
[Current Fans: 50]
●Acquire 50 Loyal Fans (50/50)
[Quest Objectives Completed.]
Von grinned from ear to ear. If not for the bone-chilling cold, he would have jumped up and punched the air.
He was mere minutes away from failing the Quest, but his decision to pull an all-nighter had paid off. As a cherry on top, he had genuinely changed someone's life. It filled him with a fulfillment that rivaled the System rewards.
CRACLE—BOOM!
A crack of thunder shook the sky. The rain intensified, turning from a drizzle into a deluge.
"Right," Von muttered, grabbing his guitar case. "Time to go."
He broke into a run, sprinting through the empty streets as the storm chased him home.
***
Von burst into the dorm room, dripping wet.
Zack was still awake, hunched over his laptop at his desk. "Of course," Von muttered. The guy never slept.
Zack took off his headphones immediately as the lights flickered on. He spun around, his eyes widening.
"You're back," Zack said, sounding relieved. "I was worried sick about you. It's pouring out there."
Von grabbed a towel from his rack and started drying his hair aggressively. "Yeah, I saw your missed calls. I was busking."
"At this time?" Zack raised an eyebrow.
"Yup. Felt like staying longer. The acoustics in the rain are different." Von shivered, but the cold felt good. It felt like victory.
Zack turned back to his laptop, adjusting his glasses. "I advise you not to stay out so late in the future. It's not safe, Von."
Von pointed a thumb at Zack, making a face like the Jerry Mouse meme. "Okay, Dad."
He quickly took a warm shower and brewed a cup of instant coffee. Feeling human again, he jumped onto his bed, ready to unravel his rewards.
"System. Status."
_________________________________________
SUPERSTAR SYSTEM — STATUS PANEL
_________________________________________
[BIO]
● Name: Von Varley
● Age: 18
● Class: Student
● Title: Street Performer
● System Level: 0
[STATS]
● Vocals: E- (0/30)
● Composition: F (0/10)
● Charm: C (0/300)
● Willpower: C- (0/300)
[PROGRESSION]
● Skills: Basic Instrument Mastery, Resonance.
● EXP: 600
● Current Fans: 50
● Quests: Unvailable
● Star Shop: 6 Vouchers
_________________________________________
Von tapped on his new Title.
[Street Performer: You stand out in chaotic environments. Whenever equipped, crowds are 20% less likely to interrupt or protest your performance.]
Von didn't know what had gotten him the title. He had just received it out of the blue while performing earlier today.
As a reward for obtaining his first title, the System had rewarded him with 100 EXP and 3 Star Vouchers. He couldn't say no to free rewards, so he accepted them without questions.
His eyes drifted to his Charm and Willpower.
They had skyrocketed.
His Charm had risen naturally alongside his ridiculous physical transformation.
While most of the transformation came from Von's new habits, the System's strange Daily Quest rewards had a heavy hand to play.
Pills like the [Metabolism Booster] made him burn calories like a furnace while working out, and the [Stamina Recovery Pill] ensured he was never left breathless. It was a dream for anyone who wanted to lose weight.
Even Zack, who saw him every day, looked at him with confusion sometimes, unable to comprehend the speed of the change.
Once his physique stabilized, the System had stopped giving him workout quests. Instead, it had pivoted to Singing or casual Challenges.
Between the System's EXP rewards and Zack's relentless coaching, Von had improved. Zack had drilled the importance of authenticity into him.
"You don't have the range yet," Zack would say. "So don't try to hit the high notes. Focus on control. Focus on the emotion. If you can't sing it perfectly, sing it honestly."
It had helped immensely and Von was grateful to his roommate.
But now, staring at 600 EXP, he knew he was going to make the biggest improvement before the big day tomorrow.
Actually...
He checked the time. It was past 12:00 AM.
"The big day is today," Von corrected himself. The Miami Auditions.
His first instinct was to dump all 600 EXP into Vocals. He wasn't composing real originals yet, so Composition was useless. He needed a better voice to survive the judges.
But he had another option: Skills.
Von chewed his lip. It was a tough decision. Pure stats vs. Utility.
"Think, Von. Think."
He realized something. The new skill he just got from the quest, [Resonance], amplified emotional projection. If he combined that with [Emote] to assume a fake emotion, and then make everyone relate to it.
"It's the perfect combo for a performer," Von realized.
He made his choice. He would buy the skill and dump the rest into Vocals.
He used a voucher and the holographic case unfolded like before.
[Consumable: Complete Instrument Mastery]
● Cost: 1000 EXP
[Skill: Emote (Saved)]
● Cost: 300 EXP
● Requirement: Vocals E-
[Consumable: Zone State]
● Description: Enters a state of extreme focus (The Zone) for one hour where processing speed and creativity peaks.
● Cost: 1000 EXP
● Grade: A
***
Von almost choked at the third one. Zone State? That was legendary. He stared at it and was tempted already but... 1000 EXP was impossible right now.
"Wow," he breathed. "I'm definitely saving that for later."
He selected [Emote].
A small, white fruit, no bigger than a grape, appeared in his hand. Von popped it into his mouth, and it dissolved instantly.
This time, there was no electric shock. Just a cool feeling settling behind his eyes.
[Skill Acquired: Emote]
He looked at his remaining 300 EXP and dumped it all into Vocals.
● Vocals: D+ (0/100)
● EXP: 10
He remembered the man who had paid him to stop singing. That guy had been a D-.
"I can't believe I've surpassed that guy already," Von laughed. "Oh well. We keep moving."
He turned off the lamp, lying back on his pillow with a peaceful smile.
"Tomorrow, we conquer the auditions!"
Von closed his eyes, drifting into dreams of him performing before cheering crowds.