Brick by Brick (Bxb)

Chapter 10: Confession

Taipei's central business district was the hub of commercial activities and entertainment. It was also one the busiest transportation hubs in the region. The frequency of pedestrians flowing in and along the walkway of the street, accompanied by the occasional clamour of food vendors were clear evidence of the uplifting night life in the area.

G Concert Theatre was situated near the centre of the business district, it's grandeur eclipsing that of the surrounding buildings. Unlike the National Theatre, which is reflective of the Chinese demographic, the exterior of this theatre boasts a huge, hollowed-out hemispherical dome that encased the entrance. Even more awe-inspiring was the interior, which clearly screamed of Victorian architecture and its rich history. Beautiful crystal lighting hung delicately from the ceiling, enveloping the place with a warm, yellow glow similar to that of a morning sun. Winding stairs lead up from both ends of the corridor to the upper levels. 

The reception area was overcrowded, but the crowd was orderly and polite, making it much easier for the ushers to maintain control over the whole situation.

There were a total of five concert halls within the building, each of roughly similar sizes with the exception of the main hall. Ming Kai's group was set to perform, but there was still some time before the concerto that marks the start of the performance, and people gradually started making their way to their seats.

At the backstage, Ming Kai was actually showing signs of distress. His palms were sweaty from all the nervousness. He anxiously clasp them together, closed his eyes and took deep, calming breaths.

That didn't seem to help much.

Whoever said that breathing exercises were helpful obviously never had to perform in front of such a huge crowd before. The number of people attending this concert was roughly ten times the size of the crowd Ming Kai faced during his audition. Now he understood why S Voices decided to hold the audition the way they did. Anyone performing for the first time in such a large scale event will be sure to encounter some form of stage fright.

"It's okay if you're feeling anxious," Chen Yu Lin reassured him as she walked over, putting her hands onto his. She was equally nervous, from the way her hands shivered.

"If you happen to get overwhelmed on stage, just remember that we're there beside you. You aren't alone," her facial expression and voice seem to radiate at least some sort of confidence. It didn't seem like this was her first time performing. If Ming Kai hadn't felt her trembling hands, even he would have thought she had this performance in the bag.

Eventually, the audience settled down and the MC took center stage to give the opening address. The group then stepped out from behind the curtain on cue, drawing excited cheers and an encouraging applause from members of the audience.

Ming Kai felt a little better when he received such a warm welcome, but in a crowd like this he knew it would be hard to spot Terry. He stared in the general direction of where he sat, hoping to find him, but gave up soon after.

Looking over to Chen Yu Lin and his teammates, Ming Kai made one final adjustment to his posture and signaled a nod.

It was time to begin.

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The concert was over, and the crowd began to leave the hall and traversed down the side stairs to the main reception area. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as people enthusiastically discussed the performance they had just witnessed.

At the backstage, Ming Kai greedily gulped a glass of cold water. His forehead beaded with perspiration from the exertion during the performance. After all, they weren't performing some classical medley that require them to stand like statues.