Dayo slowly opened the folded paper in his hand.

For a moment, he couldn't breathe. Then his eyes landed on the number written inside 3.

He exhaled, almost smiling. This was a huge relief not just for him but for his teammates. He didn't want to put such pressure on them, even though they had prepared.

Across him, Lucas Rivera opened his paper and saw the expected No. 1 staring back at him.

Lucas's shoulders dropped instantly. He sighed, looking at the number while shaking his head.

The whole hall went quiet for a second. Everyone knew how much pressure came with performing first.

Dayo walked towards Lucas and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, I know the pressure you're under, but I also saw the effort you and your team put into working, so don't let this weight pull you down. Lucas, you're the leader, and your team follows you. If you're scared, they're scared. The choice is yours, buddy."

Lucas looked at Dayo, surprised. "Thanks, bro. It means a lot."

Dayo shrugged. "We're still competitors, though. All the best."

Lucas smiled at the statement. "Sure."

The MC noticed the change in their faces and chuckled into the mic.

"Well, that's decided then. Team Rivera, you'll be opening today's stage. Team Jayson, you're third, so get ready — you'll be up soon after the first two groups. All teams, please prepare. The stage call will begin shortly."

As soon as the MC dismissed them, Dayo's group let out a breath of relief before going back to their assigned room.

"Oh, thank God," Emily whispered, clutching her chest.

Tyrell laughed. "Three's good luck where I'm from. We're safe for now."

Maya nodded quickly. "At least we won't be the first to die on stage."

Even Frank smirked a little before saying, "Don't jinx it."

They all laughed, the tension breaking a bit as they walked back to their waiting room.

---

From their holding room, they could watch the stage through a live screen.

The first team — Lucas Rivera's group — was already walking up the stairs.

Everyone was quiet, watching and judging their opponents.

Lucas gave a nod, and then the performance started — strong, bright lights, smooth choreography, and loud cheers from the backstage staff.

Even Dayo and his team had to clap for them. They used Spanish as their main language and English on the side, with the guitar as their main instrument, giving the whole performance a dancing vibe. Even one of the judges stood up to dance.

By the time they finished, the judges clapped and gave comments, but also some criticism.

"Hmm," Maya muttered. "They're good, but… I feel we'll be better."

The whole team nodded, believing they could do better.

Next was Team Min-Jae. The difference was clear from the first line.

Their vocals blended well, the transitions were smooth, and they used both Korean and English — Min-Jae leading on the Korean part.

This time, one of the judges even stood up to clap for them.

Even Dayo found himself nodding. "Now that was a group performance."

Emily took a deep breath. "Then we need to make ours better."

"Yeah," Tyrell said. "Let's show them what we've got."

Ten minutes later, a staff member appeared at the door.

"Team 1, please stand by. You're up next."

Everyone stood.

Dayo looked around at his group — Maya tightening her mic pack, Emily doing one last breath control, Tyrell spinning his drumsticks, Frank adjusting his trumpet.

"Remember," Dayo said quietly, "we've worked all week, slept less than five hours a day, fought with each other, and bonded with each other. The past week has been hell, and today decides if it was worth it. So I want you all to take a deep breath, and let's show them something the judges haven't seen before. Let's go."

"Yeah, let's go!" they all yelled together, including Frank. Dayo's words had moved them all.

The staff guided them backstage. The lights from the stage glowed through the curtains.

"Team Dayo, please move to the stage," someone called.

Stepping on stage, the lights turned on.

"Welcome, Team 1!"

Dayo's team made a slight bow to the judges. "Thank you."

"So, how has this week been so far?"

Dayo answered, "Truthfully, it's been hell. Working with strangers to get a strong performance is quite stressful but also thrilling."

"That was expected. What was the most difficult part of working together?"

This time, Dayo gave the mic to Maya. "Well, I'd say it was the arranging. Nobody wanted to be outshone or have a small part, so that was one of the most difficult things we had to deal with."

"Wow, that's surprising. Most said it was the arrangement and the lyrics."

Tyrell chuckled and answered, "Yeah, that's because they didn't have our honorable team leader and Maya."

"Oh, a little secret," he added with a grin, "Dayo is actually a producer, so we had most of everything easy for us."

The judges looked surprised and nodded their heads.

Dayo just glared at Tyrell, who shrugged and sank a little like he hadn't just thrown Dayo under the bus.

"So, what language are you singing in?"

Dayo answered this time, "We're going with Korean and English to honor the Korean fans and thank them for having us."

The judges visibly looked surprised — they didn't know who among them could speak Korean.

"Well, that's surprising. Anyways, all the best. You can start your performance."

They bowed and thanked the judges.

Dayo smiled and turned to his team. "This is it. Let's go."

They each stood at their respective places — Tyrell behind the drums, Frank holding his golden trumpet, Maya seated at the back with the piano, while Emily and Dayo stood at the front.

---

The stage lights dimmed a little, setting the tone for the performance. A soft instrumental began as Maya's fingers pressed gently on the piano keys, creating a calm rhythm that filled the arena.

Emily took the mic first. Her voice came in smooth and gentle, barely above a whisper, like she was singing straight into the hearts of the crowd.

[Verse 1]

"We've been running through the night (밤을 지나서)

Dreams we're chasing, burning bright

Even if we fall, we'll rise again

이 순간 we don't pretend"

[Pre-Chorus]

"Hold your breath, feel the sound

One heartbeat, one playground

We're stronger than we've ever been

지금부터 시작해 (let's begin)"

Dayo came in next, his deeper tone giving the song weight. It wasn't loud; it was soft and cool, filling the quiet arena, with Maya backing him up softly.

[Chorus – All]

"We'll shine on, no matter what they say

빛이 돼, we'll light the way

Together we'll rise, no fear, no doubt

이 무대 위, we'll figure it out"

When they reached the chorus, Maya's piano filled the small spaces perfectly — the notes were simple but emotional. Even the judges leaned forward slightly, following the rhythm.

All their voices came together in harmony, controlled and balanced.

[Verse 2]

"Can you feel it in the air (느껴봐, this vibe is rare)

Every step we take, we're almost there

We're not the same as yesterday

이 리듬 속에 we'll find our way"

Dayo and Maya worked their magic again — as Dayo sang, Maya echoed his lines softly, leaving a lasting effect on the judges.

---

[Bridge – Frank's trumpet solo section]

Then it came — the bridge. Frank lifted his trumpet confidently. The first few notes came out beautifully, the sound echoing gently through the hall.

But then, one note cracked. It was sharp — a small mistake, but noticeable enough that two of the judges raised their eyebrows.

Before the tension could grow, Dayo reacted instantly. His fingers moved across the guitar strings, sliding into a riff that matched the melody and covered Frank's mistake completely.

Within seconds, the energy was restored.

[Final Chorus – All]

"We'll shine on, even when it rains

빛이 돼, through joy and pain

Together we'll fight, we'll never fade

이 순간에 we've got it made"

The final chorus came — they all sang together, full of emotion, their voices steady and clean.

It wasn't loud or flashy. It was the kind of calm, heartfelt singing that made the audience silent for a moment — simple, real, and touching.

[Outro – Dayo softly]

"We'll shine… We'll shine on."

Then Dayo ended it softly, his voice low, the guitar fading behind him.

The last note lingered in the air.

For a few seconds, no one moved. Then all the judges stood and began to clap — slow and quiet at first, then louder, until the hall was filled with applause.

---

Emily looked at Dayo and smiled, relief washing over her face.

Tyrell let out a low exhale. "Man, I thought Frank was going to kill us for a second."

Frank didn't respond, just lowered his trumpet with a small nod, his pride clearly hurt but hidden.

Then Emily and Maya hugged each other, almost crying, knowing they had given their absolute best.

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