Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

EPILOGUE.

Lowlands was Joost's first festival. Seven years later, he was still invited back, only this time, he was offered ten times the pay.

Joost Klein headlined Lowlands 2026 with Ski Aggu and Käärijä not far following. The trio sold-out the festival in a matter of hours and people flew from all over Europe just to see The Netherlands', Germany's and Finland's most notorious artists all on one stage.

The Albino Sports team gathered backstage. No matter how big the company got, the original team that consisted of Joost's friends still made up a majority of its employees. Teun was still at the DJ booth, Nathan ventured to shows whenever he could and Stuntje continuously fell over himself. As for the camera, Apson had recently taken over operations in it's handler's absence.

'How's she doing?' Jere asked.

'About to pop. This is my last show before I go on "paternity leave",' Joost used his fingers to emphasise his words.

'What's with the quotations?'

'Well, I pay for my own paternity leave, so...'

Jere nodded in understanding.

Not long after Fenne and Joost tied the knot, Fenne announced her pregnancy. Their marriage had changed the future they saw together. What they were once unsure about became what they wanted most. They wanted to start a family.

They only wanted one child but it would mean the world to them. Joost was going to take some time off to be there for Fenne and when the baby arrived. He had spent the past year touring and spent almost a decade making music. Joost wanted to finally take a step back and he couldn't be happier to say it was because his wife was expecting.

He had bought another house, which he and Fenne had already moved into. This was a given as Stuntje made it very clear he wouldn't be waking up in the middle of the night by a newborn. Fenne and Joost didn't take this to heart as they didn't particularly want the rowdy men around when their stress-levels ran high.

Joost's friends were supportive, of course, but Joost would die before he'd see them act they way they did when Fenne was nine months pregnant or when she had just pushed a baby out of her. She needed her own space and not just because of her large stomach like Daan liked to joke.

Besides, Apson and Hanna had moved out around the time of Fenne and Joost's announcement. Most thought the two would be following a similar path, but no one expected Hanna to wave around a blue or pink onsie around any time soon. If it happened, it happened. For Fenne and Joost, they wanted to enter their 30s as parents. It wasn't for everyone, but it was the Kleins' choice.

'Did you find out the gender?' Aggu asked, making sure his microphone was working. His eyebrows shot upwards behind his mask when Joost grinned cheekily.

'Do you have a name?' Jere tried but Joost prolonged his silence. Aggu and Jere exchanged exasperated looks before turning back to the blonde who could barely contain himself.

'Come on, dude.'

'You'll have to wait like everyone else,' Joost said mockingly and the two groaned.

It was the one thing that Joost and Fenne had successfully kept a secret. No one knew if they were having a boy or a girl, or what name they had chosen. Joost wanted to do his last show with a leverage on his fellow artists and couldn't wait to make the announcement in a classically Joost Klein way. He already knew he would be taking a picture with his son or daughter held up high in his hands with a cigarette between his lips. It would be the only moment that Joost would be smoking around the baby and he would be sure to clarify that when he posted on his Instagram.