Merry and I stood at the entrance to a tall skyscraper. The building itself belonged to a daughter company of the Sode Corporate, but the former owners of the studio only rented one floor, the eleventh one of twenty-five.
"Hello Sir, Madam, I haven't seen you before. Where are you heading?"
A guard wearing a black suit blocked our way, managing to seem both respectful and threatening.
"Yes, Sir, we haven't been here before. We are going to MelodyCraft for an audition, my sister here wants to be an idol in the future," I took the role to explain. Not like Merry ever needed a spokesperson, but you know, let's conform to society.
"Alright, you don't seem like troublemakers. Give me your names please."
"Nikolas and Merry Leticus," I answered.
"Floor 11," he gestured at the elevator as he announced our arrival without waiting for them to confirm.
I looked at my reflection, getting nervous about my appearance when comparing it to my twin. My normal, cheap outfit of blue jeans and a casual tee looked out of place in such a fancy environment.
Merry, however, seemed unruffled. I'm jealous of her self-centered personality sometimes, that easygoing attitude that believed everything was meant for her, so there's nothing to worry about.
"Let's go," she exited the elevator as soon as the doors opened, leaving me behind to watch her little butt wiggles with every step she took in that tight dress. The dress' hem was a bit loose, making me unwittingly stare, waiting for the moment something would make the skirt billow and expose what was underneath.
"Nikko? Aren't you going to enter with me?" Her eyes searched for me by her side, making me break my eye contact with her behind. I made it to the front with a few big steps, allowing us to go in together. That dress was just a tease, the rubber at the end didn't let the cloth flutter the way I wished for.
"This dress looks good on you," I mumbled, thinking I might have done something immoral by liking her.
"Oh, so you were walking behind me to stare at my butt? Did you like it?" She teased while caressing the center of my palm with her middle finger. I don't know why, but it turned me on. There was nothing to it, but it made me want to bend her over and color those plump ass cheeks red with some good spanking.
One of her favorite teases turned against her as I leaned down to her ear, "I was thinking about how those cheeks might echo if I spank them. And I will find out when we get home, so wait for the results," her face flushed a little, her breathing audibly turned slightly heavier for a few seconds. I saw her crazy side in the cab, and that wild part of her needed to be tamed.
"Ah, shut up…" she murmured, looking away timidly. I knew it, my feelings weren't one-sided. The first rose and the second rose, there was no way I could choose between them. I will eat as much as I can and see what happens.
"Wait for it," one last whisper to keep her hanging. We could not keep our flirting and teasing anymore; a young woman wearing a fashionable hat which took all the attention away from her mundane shorts and crop top. After seeing Nyssa's figure and being used to Merry's, I had no problem looking her straight into her eyes without any distractions.
"Hello, are you Miss Merry, the one Young Master Amar sent to audition? I'm Ella, nice to meet you."
I was ignored, and the two girls shook hands. Maybe Amar briefed her in advance and told her that Merry was their only poaching target, or maybe because I looked like Merry's servant with my poor dress code.
"I am Merry, I'm here to audition. I… want to be a singer," she said after some hesitation, making me smirk to myself. My jealousy was apparent enough for her to pick up, and she did not ignore it.
"A singer?" The woman arched her eyebrows in surprise as she openly scrutinized Merry's figure with her eyes, "You should be an idol, being a singer would be a waste of your good looks, no matter how well you sing! Your curls are beautiful, your face is stunning, your figure is sexy! Leave it to me and hundreds of thousands of fans will drool over you! Their money will be in your pocket, their services at your disposal, you'll be rich!"
Ella tried to entice my sister, but I think the latter's mind was occupied with my last promise, making me step forward and intervene.
"My little sister is more beautiful than any other idol out there, but she can make it just fine without flaunting her body everywhere. You'll agree with me once you hear her sing," I argued, not letting this woman corrupt my little angel.
"It's not about skills, there are plenty of singers with great abilities out there! But idols have the most fans, the successful ones could be said to have cults instead of fan clubs. Miss Merry is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, she could make millions even without any musical talent."
It looked like Ella and I couldn't reach an agreement, but luckily, there was an easy way to solve it.
"That's what she wants. Either audition her for being a normal singer, or we can go home."
Exactly, we didn't owe them anything. She was told by Amar to rate Merry's performance, so there was no way she'd let us go. We came all the way here for the audition, so failing such a task given by a descendant of the Sode family would ruin her name.
"Al- alright, follow me to the studio. Let's see what you got."
The woman turned around and walked quickly, forgetting all her manners. She was distinctly disappointed, thinking there wouldn't be much to expect. The hottest market of entertainment in our country now was idols; singers were pushed to the sidelines, and only the best of them managed to fill venues in their tours.
The problem was that people wanted to be invested emotionally, they fell in love with their idol, treasuring any teasing wink she sent to the cameras like it was personally aimed at them. The fans were no longer interested in purchasing the discs, and even colors and materials like platinum were not enough to convince them.
In today's era where everything happens online, consumers would only order those discs to support their goddesses and idols, but they'd only do it if the said idol could affect their hearts first.
This approach limited the impact of singing skills and content, placing more emphasis on charisma and sex appeal instead. As for singers with great skills, those had a much smaller pool of fans to draw from.
"Here we are, please enter."
Ella ushered us into the studio, a sleek space where technology and creativity met. The walls, adorned with acoustic panels, made everything feel professional. Merry, unfazed by the high-tech environment, moved gracefully to the center of the room, positioning herself behind the microphone stand with an air of quiet confidence.
I couldn't help but hover near the control room's door, eager to witness the unfolding scene. Ella, meanwhile, adjusted her headphones with a professional flick of her wrist, preparing the track with a few precise clicks. The look on her face was one of mild interest, tempered by the low expectations she held for non-idol performers.
"Which song are you going to perform?" The producer asked. It made me realize we hadn't prepared, and I knocked my fingers nervously, not having an ounce of confidence in Merry's responsibility sense.
"Whispers in the Wind," the curly singer answered immediately.
"You did your homework," Ella's satisfied nod made me gape for a moment. "Practicing a song produced by this studio will get you the best support possible. I happened to be the producer of that song."
'She can be responsible?' I exclaimed internally at her foresight.
The music started, a soft, compelling melody that seemed to float in the air. Merry took a deep breath, and as she began to sing, her voice, pure and ethereal, effortlessly filled the room.
"Whispers in the wind, calling me to fly," she sang, her voice a gentle caress against the soul.
From the other side of the glass, I watched as Ella's fingers, which had been poised to make adjustments, stilled mid-air. Her posture, once relaxed in the certainty of disappointment, straightened as the first notes took her by surprise.
"Above the fears that bind, beneath the open sky," Merry continued, the song was slow, tempting the listeners to close their eyes and devote themselves to it.
I couldn't resist a smirk as Ella's expression shifted from incredulous to mesmerized. Her initial skepticism seemed to melt away with every note that Merry delivered.
"She isn't half-bad, is she?" My gloating was not too late to come.
"Shh!" Ella shushed me and tightened the headphones on her ears. But it wouldn't be enough to stop me.
"In dreams, I soar on wings of melody," the song wove a story of hope and aspiration, Merry's voice the perfect embodiment of serenity.
Ella, now completely absorbed, had leaned closer to the glass, her eyes locked on Merry. The skepticism that once clouded her judgment had vanished, replaced by a dawning realization of the talent before her.
"With every note, I'm closer to the light," Merry's voice, soft yet powerful, made me feel hope that I was about to find happiness. Ella's shining eyes testified she shared the sentiment.
I couldn't help myself; I leaned toward Ella and whispered, "So, about finding another studio because Merry doesn't want to be an idol..." My voice trailed off, laden with mock seriousness and a poorly concealed gloat.