Chapter 135: 4th of July Concert
The city square had been transformed into a carnival of lights.
Neon banners stretched across lamp posts, food stalls sizzled with grilled meats and fried treats, and the air was thick with the mixed scents of sugar, smoke, and fireworks yet to come.
Everywhere, there was music. A brass band blasted patriotic medleys at one end while teenagers waved glowsticks to a DJ at another. The July night sky shimmered with anticipation, the whole thing wrapped around a massive stage where the world’s most famous artists would soon perform.
Hermes could not stand it.
His shoulders were stiff, eyes darting to every shadow, every stray hand that brushed too close to his coat. He muttered under his breath as the crowd pressed around them.
"Too many exits. Too many vantage points. Surveillance blind spots all over... This is a setup. Has to be."
Aphrodite stayed close beside him, reaching out as though to steady Hermes, but Hermes flinched at the touch.
He hadn’t looked him in the eye since.... that night.
"I swear, Hermes, you need to relax," Somner groaned.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, sunglasses perched lazily on his nose even though it was already dusk. "You act like you’re in a war zone when all that’s happening is funnel cakes and fireworks."
"This is not just funnel cakes," Hermes hissed. "You think SHIFT wouldn’t use a crowd like this? Perfect cover. Perfect distraction. You said that there’s a lead here—"
"I did, I did. But relax!" Somner said again, flashing his VIP badge at a security checkpoint. "It’s not like they’ll attack with all this crowd here."
"I hate to be the devil’s advocate, but the SHIFT literally did attack protesting crowds." Ymir muttered, deadpan.
Somner stepped on his foot. Ymir froze that foot for a millisecond before Hermes could notice.
Magni smirked, towering over the rest of them like an amused giant. "Brother Modi, it is your day of birth and the day of freedom for your country! So why not be happy and free?"
Hermes’ eyes widened. "Wait... It’s my birthday?"
All four of them exclaimed in unison. "YOU FORGOT???"
Just before Hermes could reply, the massive screen above the stage came to life, showing four young Korean women in glittering outfits. The crowd erupted into screams that rattled the air.
"Please welcome, HERO-WIN!"
The stage exploded with light as the group appeared, striking perfect poses. Each member had a signature color, their outfits dazzling with sequins and futuristic edges.
Hermes frowned. He expected something frivolous. And yet...
The music hit.
The first girl’s voice was clear, shimmering like a bell, and with it came projections that burst like fireworks overhead. Not digital projections. Real illusions, each sparkling flower and star shaped by her power as she sang.
The crowd gasped as the sky itself seemed to paint along with the beat.
The second member moved next. Her body twisted, joints bending at impossible angles before snapping back into seamless choreography.
Hermes raised a brow despite himself. Her movements were so fluid, almost alien, and yet perfectly controlled.
Then the leader stepped forward. Her voice soared, but more than that, her body mirrored the movements of the others with flawless precision. Copying not just their steps but their presence, layering harmonies, filling in every gap. She was like the glue that bound them.
Finally, the smallest girl—blue hair streaked with pink—took the mic. Her words spilled at quadruple speed, crisp and clear, her rap a barrage of syllables that the crowd devoured with wild cheers.
Hermes found himself... watching. His arms folded, jaw tight, but his eyes followed every movement.
He couldn’t deny it. "They’re.... Pretty good."
Even Ymir was tapping his foot to the beat. "Yeah, not too bad."
Somner smiled, waving his lightstick. "Right!??? I’ve been a stan since they debuted! They’re all low rank power users, but they chose to be pop stars instead of heroes."
"They’re heroes in their own way." Aphrodite remarked. "Using their powers to bring joy and inspire others."
"Yeah...."
For a moment, Hermes allowed himself to unclench. His heartbeat slowed. He almost smiled.
Almost.
Because then... he felt it.
A prickle at the back of his neck. That weight of eyes on him.
Hermes stiffened. His gaze swept the crowd. Families waving flags. Teenagers taking selfies. Merch vendors hollering about glowsticks and light-up devil horns.
And then—
A hooded figure.
Standing just at the edge of the crowd. Still. Watching him.
Their mouths curved into a smirk when they realized Hermes had seen them.
"..."
Hermes didn’t even think. He shoved past the fans around him, ignoring their shouts as he barreled forward.
"Brother Modi!" Magni called after him, the first to notice he was gone since he’s the tallest.
But Hermes didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop.
He was already running.
The hooded figure darted into the chaos of the festival. Hermes followed, shoving past people, knocking over carts. Popcorn spilled. Drinks splashed. Someone cursed as he toppled their nachos.
"Hermes!" Ymir roared from behind. But the voice was lost in the crowd.
On stage, HERO-WIN transitioned into their finale. The crowd’s cheers shook the ground.
And then—
The next act was announced.
"Please welcome... international pop sensation... Stella Banner!"
The stage lights blazed red, white, and blue. The first notes of her song thrummed through the speakers.
"Broad stripes..." her voice rang out, rich and commanding, "bright stars..."
Hermes didn’t even register it at first. The words slipped past his ears as he chased the figure, weaving between rides, smashing through food stands.
But the song lingered. The melody seemed to vibrate in the very air, sticking to his mind like glue.
The hooded figure darted left. Hermes followed, knocking over a cotton candy machine, sparks and sugar flying.
"...We’ve been through so many wars..." Stella sang, her voice swelling.
The crowd roared.
Hermes’ vision blurred. His breath grew ragged. Why did the words echo louder than they should? Why did his chest feel tight every time she held a note?
He stumbled, shaking his head. No. Focus.
The figure was right ahead.
"...our flag was still there..."
Hermes shoved past a row of festival-goers, his coat flaring behind him. They screamed as he overturned a row of benches. A drink vendor cursed as his cart crashed to the ground.
"...The day you left me behind..."
The hooded figure slipped into an alley of tents. Hermes followed, ignoring the chaos he left behind.
"...does that star-spangled banner still wave..."
The voice reverberated inside him, like it was speaking directly to his skull. His ears rang. His chest pounded. Hermes felt like he was being pulled back into the concert stadium, but he resisted.
And then, finally—
He caught up.
The hooded figure stopped, as though they had been waiting for him. Hermes’ hand shot out, gripping their arm and yanking them around.
"EIRWYN!" he spat.
The hood slipped back.
Not Eirwyn.
The figure’s eyes gleamed, mocking. Their lips curled in a cruel laugh, and the voice that answered was not Eirwyn’s.
"You’ll see him again. Soon enough."
Hermes froze.
Before he could demand more, before he could strike, the figure blurred.
And then—
They vanished.
In the blink of an eye.
Hermes staggered forward, gripping empty air. His breath was ragged, his body trembling, his heart pounding against his ribs like it wanted out.
Behind him, Stella Banner’s voice still carried over the festival. The crowd roared with patriotic fervor, swept in her current.
"... Even when we’re divided, we’re united..."
Hermes’ fists clenched. His teeth ground together.
"...By our brave hearts..."
The stage erupted in light, the crowd screaming their devotion.
But Hermes wasn’t watching.
He stood alone at the edge of the ruined alley, surrounded by toppled carts and spilled food, his eyes locked on the spot where the figure had been.
"... I will never let you go."
A/N I know that nobody asked for this and would rather just continue on with the story, but I just have to get it out of my chest. If you don’t want to read me yapping about my misery as a writer, just skip it.
I’ve been writing in this app for almost 5 years now. I’ve written so many books, joined so many contests. And I never really earned much from doing this, not enough for all the effort I put into every single Chapter. It kinda fucked up my life, to be honest.
My family expects me to be some doctor or lawyer. But I was stubborn. I kept writting ridiculous smutty BL stories. Over and over. Telling myself that one day, I’ll have the same amount of fans like my favorite authors do. That my stories would be worth something, despite how on the surface, they seem like just stupid gay stories.
I even tried to sell myself out, write stories that follow the trends. But still, it never worked out.
Maybe I’m just not a good writer. Or maybe I’m just unlucky. I don’t know at this point.
But I still keep going, because for some reason, I can’t stop writing.
If you’re still reading up to this point, I would really appreciate even just comments or a review to know that you’re here. That at least someone is still reading. Someone still cares.
I have discontinued so many books because besides not earning a single penny from them, there’s just no one around to let me know that someone still cares about the story. I kept writing new ones and joining contests hoping that eventually, I’ll get the big break I’m looking for. But it’s useless.
I didn’t win the contest for this book.
Everyday, my stats keep going down, I get less readers. If things continue to go south, I’ll probably end it earlier than I initially planned to. I have ideas for 1000 Chapters of this story, but around 300+ would suffice if nobody’s going to read it anyway.
But I won’t discontinue it. My plan is to finish this and my other discontinued novels... And then quit. End my misery.
So I hope you enjoy my last book, and please stick around until the end. Thank you for reading.