Buzz buzz.
Buzz buzz.
A rumble surged above the eardrums, like being submerged at the bottom of a deep blue lake.
Faint, trivial noises rippled above the water's surface, creating a subtle turbulence. In this environment, judgment relied on hearing and touch alone.
Each step forward felt like walking on the soft surface of a lake, hovering in mid-air, exploring depths and shallows.
Exhaustion overwhelmed them, and their sense of direction had been entirely blurred by the pervasive darkness.
They drifted with the current, navigating through an unknown, mysterious, and perilous realm.
Suddenly, a sound broke through the darkness, a ray of light piercing the water's surface. Air rushed in, and both sound and light became clear.
"Amazing!"
"Awesome! Truly awesome!"
"I knew it!"
"The most perfect performance ever!"
"Great! Great! Great, great!"
"Incredible! Ronan! You're the king!"
Chatter and excitement filled the air as faces swirled before them, their features momentarily indistinguishable.
After regaining their balance and clarity, they recognized their fellow band members.
Maxim, usually the most image-conscious, was now disheveled, his wet hair a complete mess.
But he didn't care. His face displayed disbelief mixed with joy, and he communicated his thoughts with animated expressions.
Cliff stood beside Ronan, gripping Ronan's shoulder. He remained silent, looking composed, but a broad smile escaped from his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth, replacing his usual seriousness with a joyful expression that made him look like a complete fool.
And Ollie?
All the cheers and howls that had filled their ears had come from Ollie alone. His enthusiasm could fill both left and right audio channels simultaneously.
Then, Ollie rushed toward Ronan, embracing him tightly, and exclaimed excitedly, "I knew it! I knew you could do it! I knew this was the right decision! I knew you were born for live performances! You shine so brightly on stage!"
"Unbelievable! Unbelievable!"
"Ronan Ronan Ronan! Did you see that? Our performance was simply perfect, captivating the audience instantly! We finally showcased our true charm! Did you hear the audience's reaction? Did you see it? Ah! Did you see that? People were screaming and cheering for us!"
Even passersby could feel the overflowing joy and happiness radiating from Ollie, let alone the band members who had experienced the entire performance firsthand.
It wasn't just Ronan; the song "In My Blood" held a special place in the hearts of every band member. It was a song that struck a deep chord within them.
Choosing to perform at the Full Moon Party had been a desperate gamble, their last chance. With the determination to either succeed or face failure, they had risked everything by stepping onto that stage.
They hadn't had a break for a long time, and both their physical and mental states were delicate. Their performance in the early morning's darkest hour had unleashed the power deep within their souls, waiting for the dawn.
And finally!
They had truly done it!
Their ecstatic performance had been flawless, genuinely moving the audience and earning them incredible applause and cheers. The surging wave of excitement didn't lie; it had exposed the band members' truest selves on stage.
After leaving the stage, their emotions, a mixture of elation and vulnerability, had caused them to uncontrollably tremble.
They had shown their truest selves.
"Ronan... Ronan! We did it!"
Ollie, hugging Ronan tightly, was jubilant one moment and tearful the next. He was crying so hard that he couldn't control himself, trembling all over.
From the decision to embark on their final bar tour, to two consecutive interviews in Chicago and New Orleans; to Tristan's betrayal and his theft of all their cash; to Maxi, Tom, and Cliff reaching a breaking point, and Ronan's life-threatening high fever.
The band's journey had seemed to come to an end.
Each of them had started questioning themselves: Were they truly cut out for the band? Should they continue pursuing their musical dreams? Could they really get their music heard by more people? And...were they not working hard enough? Or was there no way forward, no matter how hard they tried?
They had truly stood on the precipice, teetering on the edge. More terrifying than despair was the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.
Before their eyes, there had been confusion.
But tonight, they had achieved it, risking everything and finding their courage and belief through the song "Born to Live" on the Full Moon Party stage.
"Thank you. Thank you... thank you..."
Ollie's emotions had completely unraveled. A tall man at 185 centimeters was crying uncontrollably, his tears flowing without end.
He didn't even know what he was saying, but he muttered plaintively, "We just knew... we had to... we must persevere... wuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."
Even though Ollie couldn't articulate his emotions clearly, the frustration and inner turmoil in his voice couldn't have been clearer, and they all understood.
Maxim's shoulders slumped, and he brushed his hair aside in disbelief. His wet face was streaked with tears, and he stubbornly wiped them away, but the tears continued to flow, one after another.
He buried his head in embarrassment, yet his trembling shoulders betrayed his emotions.
Even Cliff tilted his head upward, gazing at the sky in silence, quietly wiping away the tears that welled up in his eyes. Thousands of unspoken words weighed heavily on his chest.
Not only because of their performance at the Full Moon Party stage, but more importantly, the song "In my Blood" had allowed them to pour out their emotions.
And now, in the early morning's dawn, when the mind was no longer in control, everything came pouring out.
It may be incomprehensible to the onlookers, but for the band members, they have experienced too much and really need a little catharsis.