The Kings: A Band's Tale

Manchester Happenings [17]

Arriving in Manchester felt like a dream for The Kings. As they stepped off the tour bus and onto Etihad grounds, the excitement was infectious. Fans had already lined the stadium, and the Manchester air buzzed with anticipation.

Inside, Lance gave a low whistle as he took in the stadium's grandeur. "Manchester loves us, huh? You'd think we were the next Oasis or something!"

Uno grinned, adjusting his usual navy-blue suit jacket. "Well, if Manchester says it, who are we to argue?"

Maury chuckled. "The pressure's on now, rock star. Better live up to that hype!"

They all headed to the nearby hotel to get settled before soundcheck. The hotel lobby, however, wasn't going to let them rest just yet. Staff members approached with piles of Manchester City and Manchester United jerseys for signing.

Uno's eyes lit up when he saw the light-blue City shirts. "Ah, my kind of team. I'll happily sign all the City jerseys!"

Lance, smirking, held up a red United shirt. "Not touching this one?"

Uno shook his head, grinning. "Nah, no United for me. I'm a die-hard City fan!"

"Alright, fair enough," Angelo teased. "Guess we've got a proper blue in the band."

Denise laughed, nudging Uno playfully as he eagerly signed the City shirts, basking in his hometown pride. "Don't forget who got you to Manchester," she joked.

Once all the jerseys were signed, the band finally got to their rooms. Uno and Denise's suite overlooked the bustling cityscape, and as they settled in, Uno looked over at her with a mischievous smile.

"Think we should try some baking?" he suggested, raising an eyebrow. "I know it's unconventional, but we're on tour-why not?"

Denise's eyes lit up. "Absolutely! We could make something special to celebrate the concert."

After gathering a few ingredients, Uno glanced down at his suit and sighed. "This blazer's a bit too fancy for baking." He turned to Denise, holding up the fabric in mock desperation. "Any chance my girlfriend could help me out here?"

Denise laughed, stepping closer to straighten his suit. "Of course, I'll be your personal stylist." She adjusted his vest, smoothing out the fabric, then tucked his necktie into place with a playful grin. "There you go-now you look like a chef ready to tackle the kitchen."

"Perfect," he said, smiling down at her as he rested his hands on her shoulders. "Your turn, then?"

Denise nodded and grabbed her own suit from her luggage. She slipped off her jacket and slid into her fitted blazer and trousers, giving Uno a shy smile. "Alright, let's do this."

Uno chuckled, admiring her. "You're effortlessly classy, you know that?"

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "Come on, Mr. Winter. Let's see if you can bake as well as you sing."

They pulled out the ingredients and got to work, laughter and playful comments filling the room as they mixed and measured. As Denise stirred a bowl, Uno leaned over, peeking in.

"Alright, let me see the expert at work," he teased, nudging her gently.

"Careful, or you might end up wearing the flour," she shot back with a grin.

"Oh yeah?" he laughed, leaning in a bit closer, making her giggle as she dusted a bit of flour on his cheek.

"Now you're ready," she said with a satisfied smile.

He wiped the flour off with a chuckle. "You're going to pay for that, you know."

"Try me," she replied, her eyes sparkling as she leaned in, wrapping her arms around him. They shared a quiet laugh, feeling more like themselves than ever.