NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1033: Who Are You?
Chapter 1033: Who Are You?
As DAWN stepped off the stage, the crowd's cheers and claps still echoed behind them.
The boys' faces were flushed, and their breaths came out in heavy pants from the explosive performance they had just delivered.
There were wide smiles on their faces.
They knew they'd left an impact, but the extent of it was only beginning to reveal itself.
Online, the comments were already piling up, many from people who had never heard of them before.
- Who the hell was that? I couldn't understand a single word, but it was like I could feel it.
- I don't know who DAWN is, but that performance was insane. Explosive. Like... the Big Bang Theory kind of explosive.
- I tuned in for Tyler King, but damn, these guys might be the highlight of the night.
- Am I the only one who got goosebumps? They didn't have any flashy props or a backtrack, yet it felt like a full production.
- Their voices? Unreal. Are they really singing live?
June took one last glance at the crowd as they moved offstage, catching the wide-eyed stares from several people who had been watching on the big screens.
He grinned in satisfaction.
"Did you hear that?" Ren said breathlessly as they walked into the backstage corridor. He was vibrating with excitement. "I swear, the whole arena was screaming!"
Akira slapped him on the back, laughing. "And here I thought we'd be drowned out by all the big names."
"Not tonight," Jisung said, still catching his breath. He looked around, feeling proud of their group.
People who hadn't given them a second glance earlier were now watching them with
curiosity.
As they made their way through the backstage area, they were intercepted by none other than Sabrina Thatcher.
"Hey," she called out, a wide smile on her face as she approached. "I knew it. You guys were incredible out there."
"Thank you," Casper smiled. "It really means a lot."
"That was the best live vocals ever-more than anyone tonight!"
Casper was grinning ear to ear. "We're huge fans, Sabrina. Thank you."
"Well, you've made a fan out of me, too," she said, giving a playful wink. Then, she looked at June longer, making the others turn to him with raised eyebrows.
"Dang it," Akira muttered. "We lost another hottie to June."
"Huh?" June asked, tilting his head to the side.
Akira raised both hands in surrender. "And he doesn't even know it!"
Just then, Jaxon Roar, a rock legend with wild, untamed hair and a reputation for tearing up the stage, made his way over.
He gave them an approving nod.
"Not bad," Jaxon said with a smirk. "Not bad at all. You've got guts, going out there without a backtrack. Respect."
Casper couldn't help but grin. "Thanks, man. Coming from you, that's huge."
Jaxon waved them off. "I'll be keeping an eye on you boys. Don't disappoint."
Harriet Style, an R&B artist known for her soulful voice and emotional ballads, was next. She approached with a slow, appreciative clap.
"You guys are the talk of the backstage. That was one hell of a show. And those high notes? Gave me chills."
June bowed slightly, a genuine smile on his face. "Thank you. You're good, too," he said the most coherent English sentence he could muster.
Somehow, Harriet found it really cute.
DAWN made their way to their seats, and even then, they continued to receive praise from various artists.
They had made an impression far beyond what they had expected.
But amid the congratulatory words and respectful nods, one person's reaction stood out the most-Tyler King.
He sat a little farther down the stands, his usual cocky smirk replaced by a blank, stunned expression.
It looked like he couldn't process what had just happened.
He had been the one to dismiss them earlier, treating them like they didn't belong on the same stage as him.
Now, he was the one left speechless.
June caught Tyler's eye and gave him a slow, deliberate smirk.
June was petty, for sure. He was thriving on Tyler's reaction!
Tyler's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say a word. He simply turned away, the smug look on his
face returning.
Akira nudged June with his elbow. "Did you see his face? I think we broke him."
"Good," June replied, still grinning.
As they settled into their seats, the boys noticed the excited murmurs and sideways glances being thrown their way.
Zeth leaned back, clearly enjoying the attention. "I could get used to this," he said, a satisfied smile on his face.
The lights dimmed again, and the familiar face of Sabrina Thatcher appeared on the screen, making her way up to the podium.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as she smiled, waving to the audience.
"All right, everyone, let's get to it," Sabrina said, her voice ringing out.
"I'm here to present the award for the Fan's Choice Award."
This was one of the most coveted awards of the night, representing global charts, voting, hashtag relevance, and music video views and streams.
It was an award that took into account not only the numbers but the fans' dedication. "You all know how this works," Sabrina continued with a playful smile. "This award is about the people's voice, the ones who support us day in and day out. It's about the fans who make sure we know we're loved-loudly and with a lot of hashtags."
The screen behind her lit up, showing the list of nominees. Tyler King's name was there, along with several other huge artists. But at the very bottom of the list was a name that stood
out to DAWN.
"And the Fan's Choice Award goes to..."
She paused for dramatic effect, letting the anticipation build.
The camera panned over the crowd, capturing the excited faces of fans and the tense looks of
the nominees.
Finally, she looked back at the camera, a huge grin on her face.
"DAWN!"
The boys froze for a second in disbelief before the realization hit them.
They had won.
Jaeyong looked like he might cry (like always). "We actually did it," he whispered, shaking his
head.
Akira jumped up, pulling the others into a tight hug. "We did it!" he shouted.
As they made their way to the stage to accept the award, June couldn't help but look back at
Tyler King, who was still sitting in his seat, staring blankly at the screen.
It was a look of utter shock and defeat.
June stopped right in front of him, turning slightly with a mocking. He leaned in just enough
so that Tyler could hear him over the noise of the crowd.
"Who are you?" June asked, his voice dripping with arrogance.