"Is that all?" I asked, taking off my gloves. John Smith was no threat. He was just another victim seeking revenge. And like all fathers, he didn't want to get his hands dirty. It would be a hassle for his children anyway.
"Yes," John Smith sat up straighter, his brows furrowed. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep for several days after his wife's death. "And if you don't mind, sir, may I ask for your name?" I could see cold sweat beading down his forehead. Which part of me is he exactly afraid of? I've read from many books that the eyes reveal the most emotion. So, if I'm not showing my eyes, why is he afraid of me?
"Finality," I said, answered. "You may address me as Finality," I said slowly before standing up. "If that is all, I will be taking my leave." I threw him a blank card that had my shadow imbued in it. Slowly, small black words formed on the card. "Look out for the news on this time and date. If you are to reveal us, and I mean our whole society..." I looked at him sharply. "This card will consume you."
"Y—— yes! I will keep this in mind!" He sprang up from his seat.
I nodded before glancing at my watch. It was a little past 08.30 p.m.
"Then, I really must get going now," I stepped onto his window.
"Wa—— wait! Wha—— what are you doing?!" John Smith shouted.
"Shh, you'll wake your neighbours," I made a 'shh' sign. "Until then... John Smith," And with that, I plummeted towards the ground as I cast my teleportation spell.
"「Teleportation Circle」activate!!" I commanded and vanished into thin air, only leaving behind an ace of spades card just before John Smith peered outside his window.
I glanced at my surroundings.
I was standing behind a car near Glimmer-Glass plaza and could hear Ella's voice echoing from the stage.
Bump.
Someone bumped my shoulder.
I turned back to see her sneaking around.
"Sorry! I'm rushing off to see my sister's—" When her gaze finally landed on me, she froze. "Ara, ara, my cute little brother, why are you here?" She smirked. Tonight, her auburn hair was tied up into a high bun. Her tight grip on her phone and handbag finally loosened when she saw me.
"I could say the same to you,"
"Ha...if you're going to play it this way, I'll just tell you first," Big Sis sighed. "I just sneaked out of school because Ella looked really down when I talked to her yesterday. So, I decided that I wanted to be there to support her tonight. After all, she is my cute little sister!" She smiled softly. "How about you?"
"My work shift ended, and there's still thirty minutes till the end of her concert, so I wanted to drop by to take a look."
"So simple?"
"Yes, why?"
"Mm," She shook her head. "All that matters is that we're both here for her tonight," She wrapped her hand around my arm and smiled at me, "Let's go!"
As we walked towards the stadium, the crowd's cheers grew louder and louder. At first, it was nothing more than a distant hum carried by the wind — a low, indistinct roar that blended into the city's usual noise. But with every step forward, it sharpened, swelled, and separated into individual sounds: chanting, laughter, the rhythmic stomping of feet against metal bleachers.
The pavement beneath us trembled faintly, as if the earth itself was bracing for what was about to unfold. Bright banners hung from lampposts, snapping in the wind, painted in bold colours that flashed beneath the afternoon sun. Vendors lined the streets leading up to the arena gates, shouting over one another as they sold drinks, flags, and glowing wristbands that flickered like captured stars.
A surge of people streamed past us, faces painted, voices hoarse from shouting names and slogans. The air felt electric — charged with anticipation, thick with adrenaline. My heartbeat unconsciously began to match the tempo of the cheers, faster and faster, until it felt like the crowd's excitement had seeped into my veins.
By the time the towering silhouette of the stadium came fully into view, the noise was no longer just sound — it was a force. A living, breathing entity that pulsed against my chest and filled my lungs with something dangerously close to exhilaration.
Did Ella really have that many fans?
"Look here!" Big Sis dragged me to a stall selling Ella's Luminare merchandise. "The light sticks here look so cute!! Can we get some? Pleaseeeee," She pleaded, tugging at the hem of my shirt. There were three lightsticks. One was soft violet, the other was amber-gold, and a cool, luminous icy blue. Judging from the colours, I could instantly tell that the violet one was Ella's, and the other two were Sophie's and Claire's, respectively.
"Fine," I flicked her fingers of my almost-tearing-apart shirt and told the vendor, "Please give me all three of those lightsticks, thanks." I took some coins out of my pouch and handed them to the vendor. Boy, were they not cheap. It cost me one silver coin for all of the lightsticks. Is this the reality of living in an advanced city?
"Are you a VIP? Only people higher than VIPs, such as managers or directors, can purchase all three lightsticks," The vendor raised an eyebrow.
"I am the director of the choreography," I showed him my phone details for the concert. It's true. Ever since Claire had been an official member of Luminare, everyone's been too busy practising to prepare new choreographies. So, I decided to help design the dance choreographies, and Big Sis would help create lyrics and the backing track.
He nodded slowly.
"You should be kinder to your girlfriend, sir," The vendor told me as he handed me the lightsticks, including the complimentary huge bucket of popcorn chicken.
"She's not my girlfriend," I said, taking the lightsticks as Big Sis snatched away the huge bucket of popcorn chicken. "She's my Big Sis,"
"Oh! Sorry, I misunderstood!" The vendor apologised.
"It's okay!" Big Sis mumbled in between huge bites of the popcorn chicken. "People get mixed up with our relationship a lot!"
"Mmmm!! This is so good! Ace, you should try one!" Big Sis shoved her half-eaten chicken into my mouth as the vendor just stared at us, mouth agape. I guess we don't look like we have a sibling relationship at all.
"Mm, this is good," I chewed on the chicken, though my expression remained unchanged.
The stadium lights began to dim in gradual increments, not all at once but in careful layers, as though the entire structure was inhaling before releasing something monumental. The crowd's noise, instead of fading, condensed into something tighter—more focused. A rhythmic chant began somewhere in the centre stands and spread outward like ripples across water.
Big Sis nudged my arm. "It's the last song."
"I know."
The stage lights snapped into place.
Violet.
Amber-gold.
Icy blue.
Three colours rising like constellations against the darkened arena.
And then—
She stepped forward.
Ella.
No—
Isabella, to them.
The crowd roared her name in a way that felt almost physical. The sound pressed against my chest, reverberating through bone and muscle. I had underestimated the scale of this.
Did she really gather this many people?
The instrumental began softly, piano notes layered with strings. Controlled. Elegant. Designed to showcase vocals.
She started the first verse.
Clean.
Measured.
Her breath control had improved since rehearsal. I could hear the difference immediately. The emotional transition she had fumbled earlier—she navigated it smoothly now, grounding her diaphragm properly before lifting into the phrase.
Good.
Sophie's energy filled the stage with movement. Claire balanced it with stillness. Together, they framed Isabella at the centre like twin pillars holding up a cathedral.
But she—
She carried the weight.
As the song progressed toward the final chorus, the lighting intensified. Violet beams swept across the audience, reflecting against thousands of raised lightsticks. The entire stadium became a living sea of her colour.
Big Sis had stopped teasing.
She was watching seriously now.
The music softened suddenly.
The instrumental was stripped down.
Just her voice.
The final build.
This was the most dangerous part of the song. The section where emotion could either elevate the performance or fracture it.
She stepped forward alone.
And then—
During the final song—
Ella looked up.
Not toward the reserved front row.
Not toward the VIP balcony.
Her eyes scanned higher.
Searching through the layers of light and shadow along the outer rim of the stadium structure.
She was looking for something.
Or someone.
And then—
Her gaze found me.
Standing in the shadows near the pillar.
Not illuminated.
Not clapping.
Not cheering.
Just watching.
For a fraction of a second—
Everything shifted.
The next note hovered at the edge of release.
Her breath caught.
Her timing nearly slipped.
I saw the micro-hesitation in her shoulders, the slight widening of her eyes as recognition settled in.
She almost missed it.
The entire stadium held its breath without realising it.
Big Sis's fingers tightened around her lightstick.
I did not smile.
I did not wave.
I did not call her name.
That would make this about me.
Instead—
I gave the smallest nod.
Deliberate.
Controlled.
An acknowledgement.
You're being watched.
You're being evaluated.
You're doing fine.
Nothing more.
But it was enough.
Her spine straightened.
Her shoulders settled.
Her breath dropped lower into her core.
And then—
She sang.
The final chorus erupted from her like a blade drawn cleanly from its sheath. Stronger than rehearsal. Stronger than the earlier verses. There was no crack. No tremor. No emotional leakage.
Every note landed precisely where it should.
Her high note rose—
Clear.
Sharp.
Unwavering.
It cut through the roar of the stadium and soared above it, as if challenging the sky itself to deny her.
The crowd exploded.
Thousands of voices shouting.
Lightsticks are waving violently in the dark.
Confetti cannons firing streams of gold, blue, and violet into the air.
But she wasn't looking at them.
Not yet.
Her eyes remained locked onto mine for one final second as she held the end of that note.
Checking.
Confirming.
I did not applaud.
I simply gave one more nod.
Approval.
Then, before the stage lights swept fully across the outer rim—
I stepped backwards.
Into darkness.
No need for her to see me leave.
The audience believed they had witnessed passion.
Emotion.
A performer rising to meet her moment.
They did not understand what had actually happened.
She sang like someone who had finally been seen.
And tonight—
She didn't miss a single note.
"Thank you, everyone, for tonight!" Ella's voice rang across the stadium, bright and steady despite the exhaustion that must have been settling into her limbs.
The stadium gradually quieted, thousands of voices lowering into an anticipatory hush.
She glanced sideways at Sophie and Claire.
They exchanged a small nod.
Then she faced forward again.
"And to thank you all for supporting all of us!" she continued, her tone shifting—softer now, warmer. "I have one final song dedicated to my family!"
She winked.
Directly toward our side of the stadium.
Big Sis inhaled sharply beside me.
"Oh?" she muttered under her breath. "So we're being called out publicly now?"
The crowd erupted again, cheering louder at the mention of something personal. The stage lights shifted to a softer violet hue, less dramatic, more intimate.
Big Sis nudged me with her elbow.
"Aren't you going to sit in that reserved seat? It was meant for us after all. Go on. Show your support for her."
"I'm fine here."
"You're impossible."
"I can see clearly from this angle."
She crossed her arms. "You're hiding."
"I'm observing."
She gave me a long look.
Then, without warning, she shoved one of the lightsticks into my hand.
"Then observe properly."
The instrumental for the final song began—lighter, brighter, more playful than the last. The crowd instantly recognised it and began waving their lightsticks rhythmically.
Big Sis activated hers and started swaying dramatically.
I stared at the violet glow in my hand.
Ridiculous.
I don't do this.
On stage, Ella stepped closer to the edge, scanning the crowd.
Her gaze found our section again.
She smiled.
Not the public smile.
The real one.
And something in my chest tightened.
Big Sis leaned closer and whispered, "If you're going to stand there like a statue, at least move the lightstick."
"I don't know the rhythm."
"Yes, you do."
She smirked slightly.
"You've watched enough performances online. Don't pretend you haven't."
...Irrelevant information.
The beat picked up.
And before I could reconsider—
My wrist moved.
Once.
Left.
Right.
Then—
A sequence.
Upward flick.
Diagonal cross.
Spin.
Sharp stop.
It wasn't random.
It was deliberate.
Structured.
Controlled.
The movements were clean, synchronised precisely with the chorus beat.
Not exaggerated.
Not wild.
But undeniably practised.
Big Sis stopped mid-sway.
"...You liar."
I ignored her.
The final chorus looped again, brighter and more playful than the previous song. The stadium had relaxed—people were swaying, laughing, and recording on their phones.
Ella looked lighter now.
Freer.
Big Sis suddenly stopped moving.
Then she looked at me.
Then, at the reserved front-row section.
Then back at me.
Without warning, she shoved the other two lightsticks into my free hand.
Amber-gold.
Icy blue.
"You bought all three," she said sweetly. "So use all three."
"...That's unnecessary."
"Oh?" She grinned. "Didn't you say you were observing properly?"
Before I could reply, she grabbed the popcorn chicken bucket and marched straight toward the reserved front-row seats.
"Where are you going?" I asked flatly.
"To sit," she replied over her shoulder. "Like a normal supportive sister. Go on."
She dropped into the reserved seat—the one Ella had saved—and crossed her legs elegantly, already chewing on another piece of chicken as if this were a casual afternoon show.
Then she waved at me lazily.
"Don't embarrass the Nightfall name."
...Tch.
The crowd was dense between me and the stage.
I stepped forward.
One row.
Two rows.
People shifted slightly, confused.
Another step.
Someone glanced at me.
Another step.
The crowd parted just enough, curiosity replacing resistance. Three glowing lightsticks in one hand were already attracting attention.
Murmurs started.
"Why does he have all three?"
"Is he a manager?"
"Wait— is that intentional?"
I reached the open space right in front of the stage barrier.
Direct line of sight.
Ella was mid-verse.
Sophie spotted me first.
Her voice nearly pitched up in shock.
Claire followed her gaze.
Then—
Ella saw.
Standing directly in front of the stage.
Not in the shadows.
Not hidden.
Holding all three lightsticks.
The violet.
The amber-gold.
The icy blue.
Her eyes widened.
The instrumental hit the pre-chorus.
Beat building.
Drums layering.
The crowd clapped along.
And then—
I moved.
Not wildly.
Not flailing.
Precise.
The violet lightstick led first.
Sharp diagonal cut across my body in sync with the snare.
Amber-gold followed half a beat later, crossing beneath it.
Icy blue spun upward.
A controlled triple-layer pattern.
Left pivot.
Forward step.
Spin the violet upward.
Snap the gold down.
Blue circles cleanly around my wrist.
The murmurs grew louder.
"Wait—"
"He's actually good—"
"Who's he?"
"He's kinda hot!!"
"Why does he wear a blindfold?"
"Is he Isabella's brother?"
"They look similar,"
"Is that choreography?!"
I separated the rhythm into tiers.
Violet is marking the main melody.
Gold accenting percussion.
Blue catching harmonies.
Three independent flows.
One tempo.
The chorus exploded.
And so did the crowd.
Because now I wasn't just waving them—
I was dancing.
Clean footwork.
Measured turns.
Minimal wasted movement.
Every flick landed exactly on beat.
Every cross hit the percussion drop.
Every spin aligned with the vocal run.
On stage—
Sophie gasped mid-lyric.
Claire missed half a step in the choreography.
Ella—
Ella forgot to sing for half a second.
Her jaw parted slightly before she recovered just in time for the next line.
The crowd's volume shifted from singing to watching.
Phones lifted.
People stepped back to give me space.
Someone shouted, "LET HIM COOK!"
Ridiculous.
I transitioned into a synchronised triple-spin.
All three lightsticks rotate at different angles, weaving arcs of violet, gold, and blue in layered patterns like intersecting constellations.
Step forward.
Drop low.
Cross pattern overhead.
Snap.
The beat dropped again.
I snapped the violet straight upward and froze.
Perfect stop.
The entire motion locked cleanly with the music's final accent.
Silence—
For half a breath.
Then the stadium erupted.
Screaming.
Whistling.
Chanting.
On stage—
Ella stared at me as she'd just discovered a completely different person.
Sophie pointed openly.
Claire covered her mouth, genuinely stunned.
Big Sis—
Sat comfortably in the reserved seat.
Smiling.
Chewing popcorn chicken.
Swinging her legs slightly.
Proud.
The final chorus restarted for audience interaction.
This time—
The three of them adjusted their choreography.
Facing forward.
Toward me.
Matching the energy.
And I matched them.
Not as a shadow.
Not hidden.
But directly in front of the stage.
For once—
Not observing.
Participating.
And when the song reached its final sustained note—
Ella's eyes locked onto mine again.
No searching.
No doubt.
Just bright, breathless disbelief.
And something dangerously close to joy.
I lifted all three lightsticks slowly—
In silent acknowledgement.
Then, I lowered them together.
The music ended.
The crowd screamed.
And somewhere between the noise and the lights—
I realised—
This was the first time I had ever stood in front of her stage.
Not as a critic.
Not as a protector.
But as her brother.
"And with that, our concert comes to an end." The three of them bowed deeply as the crowd clapped wildly. "We hope you'll support us in the future too!"
"Ah...this is finally the end of a long night," I thought to myself as I slumped into a seat next to Big Sis.
"But, we would like to give special thanks to Alistair Nightfall, the director of choreography!" Sophie exclaimed. "And Kaori Nightfall, our music producer!" Claire exclaimed, too.
Murmurs erupted from the crowd.
"So he is Isabella's brother,"
"They are both so good-looking!"
"Don't forget their older sister, too!"
"But the older sister and the brother look like a couple..."
"Never mind that, they are all really talented!!"
Ignoring the murmurs, Ella stepped forward and beamed, "Thank you, Brother, and Big Sis, for supporting us from the very start!! Thank you for always believing in us!!!"
The crowd cheered for all of us.
Big sis leaned in close and whispered into my ear, "Don't you feel happy?" I do, but I really wanted to tell her this is why everyone mistakes us for a couple!!!
"I guess it was worth it after all."
She smiled and lay back in her seat.
"Look at them now," She sighed. "All grown up now, even thanking us. I feel like a mom whose children have finally grown responsible." Big Sis dramatically wiped a fake tear off her cheek.
"..."
"Look who's embarrassing the Nightfall name now,"
"Ace! How could you! Hmph!" She puffed out her cheeks angrily. "You could've at least said it with more emotion..."
"..."