❤
...
(Y/N)'s P.O.V
I yawn in exhaustion, laying my head on my arms on the table as the song ends.
Buster was a champ, staying lively and politely dancing someway through every audition. He scribbles down some words and scoots the board to me, and I simply drew happy or sad faces or other doodles.
"Okay," Ms. Crawly pants slightly, leaning on my seat with exhaustion. "That's everyone Mr. Moon, Ms. (L/N)."
"Thank. Goodness." I breathe out, sitting up and stretching as my bones crack a bit.
"Phew," Buster sighs, "all right. Call everyone back to stage, Ms. Crawly, and let's get..."
Buster and I flinch as the megaphone screams feedback as Ms. Crawly tests it.
"Hello! Can I have everyone back to stage, please?"
Buster and I flinch as she speaks loudly, feedback squeaking.
"Everyone come back to stage for selection!"
"Okay," I mumble, holding a hand to my ear. "Thank you, Ms. Crawly."
Buster cleans out his ear in hopes of easing the ringing before Ms. Crawly aims the megaphone at us.
"You're welcome, Ms. (L/N)!"
...
Third Person P.O.V
Everyone stood on stage nervously as Buster and (Y/N) walk along in front of them, (Y/N) peering over at his clipboard with a content smile on her face.
Johnny's eyes linger on her before he snaps his gaze forward, not wanting to risk being caught by her as her eyes flick to him for a moment.
(Y/N) follows behind Buster as he paces before standing off to the side, looking through the crowd.
"All right... Let's see, now," Buster mumbles, looking through his clipboard.
(Y/N) snickers as the crowd's eyes follow her brother, before chuckling as he spins around and the crowd all gasps and faces forward while straightening.
Johnny watches her with a grin before looking over at Buster.
"Hmm..." (Y/N) hums, walking beside Buster as he looks through the group acts.
"We'll take..." Buster drags before pointing to the trio of blond-haired boys, "you guys."
(Y/N) jumps as they all scream and cheer, hugging each other. They come to a stop in front of Ash and Lance, Lance looking bored and Ash watching them with anticipation.
"And which one of you is the girl?" Buster asks with an amused smile as he gestures his pen between them, making (Y/N) elbow his arm lightly.
"Ha. Ha," Ash rolls her eyes, huffing. "Very funny."
She does smile a bit when (Y/N) elbows Buster, leaning a bit on her guitar case.
"Loud and horrible but shows promise..." Buster reads out loud before grinning, nodding at Ash. "Welcome to the show."
Lance scoffs with a cocky smirk, making (Y/N) raise a brow.
"Cool. Guess we could hang," he confidently says, smirking at Ash as she smiles widely with excitement.
"Ah..." (Y/N) trails off awkwardly as Buster walks away.
"No, no, we just want her, not you." Buster bluntly calls, making (Y/N) grin widely with a snort.
"What?!" Both Lance and Ash say at the same time, Lance with disbelief and Ash with shock.
"All right!" Buster cheerfully ignores the two's reactions, glancing up to the other groups. "The rest of the group acts... Thank you so much."
"Thank you for auditioning!" I smile, waving and trying not to feel bad as the rest all sigh in disappointment.
"Oh, don't feel bad, folks! There'll be a 10% discount for everyone!" Buster grins, looking at his clipboard.
"Psh. Let's get out of here, Ash." Lance growls furiously, rolling his eyes as he starts to stomp off.
(Y/N) notices the two leaving and rushes to Ash, "Hey, Ash, right?"
"Uh..." Ash drags the word, frowning as she watches (Y/N) with her bright blue eyes.
"I hope to see you here tomorrow. Your voice is strong, and... You shouldn't let anyone cage you for being talented," (Y/N) quietly says, making Ash look at Lance before she rubs her neck.
Ash glances down for a moment, opening her mouth. "I, uh--"
"Ash!" Lance yells in a warning tone, making Ash flinch before looking at him.
"Uh... Yeah. Yeah, let's go..." Ash slowly calls, frowning deeply as she turns and follows after Lance.
(Y/N) and Buster watch the two leave, and he shrugs with a small 'eh' as she frowns with concern.
"Okay, soloists!"
"Johnny," Johnny perks up instantly when she calls his name. "Mike, Pete, Richard, Daniel and Ray." (Y/N) continues, making them step forward.
Johnny mumbles a few apologies as he bumps into people with his large frame trying to reach the front, standing next to the others with a nervous expression.
"Ooohoo Mike! I've got to have you in my show!" Buster practically gushes, making (Y/N) huff with an eye roll.
"Oh, if you insist!" Mike chuckles with a smirk, walking to backstage with a smug smile.
"Unfortunately, he does." (Y/N) mumbles before facing the others.
"And I'll take Pete," Buster calls, pacing around as (Y/N) remains at the front.
Pete cheers and fist pumps the air, walking towards the other finalists. (Y/N) glances at Johnny, both jumping and looking away when they make accidental eye contact. Johnny nervously sweeps his hair back, his heart racing in his chest as he stares at the ground with flushed cheeks.
(Y/N) clears her throat as her eyes scan the crowd and she cringes in disgust as the guy from before (Richard, the name she learned) winks at her again, making her eye twitch as she sighs and ignores him. She slowly looks back to Johnny at the same moment he decides to lift his eyes back to her, the two catching each other's eye once more as he tenses.
He doesn't shy away this time, holding eye contact with a small smile as he awkwardly waves, making (Y/N)'s expression soften as she chuckles softly.
"And one more..."
"Oh, hey!" (Y/N) interrupts with excitement, grinning as she turns to Buster. "My pick."
"Of course, dear sister," Buster dramatically bows, gesturing to the crowd.
Johnny felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest with nervousness as he stands tall, his palms feeling sweaty at his sides.
"Why, thank you." (Y/N) playfully rolls her eyes, looking between the soloists and glancing to Richard with a neutral stare. "Thanks for coming, Richard."
Richard looks taken aback, scowling.
"What? But... This isn't--" He cuts himself off as he sees Buster next to (Y/N), sharply glaring at him as he tightly smiles.
Richard scoffs with disbelief, looking to Buster.
"Why does this talentless nobody get to have any say in--"
A large and rough hand grabs his shoulder, his words dying in his throat. He quickly looks to his side, instantly shrinking under the dark and threatening look on Johnny's face as he towers over him. Johnny lightly tilts his head to the side, almost daring Richard to finish his sentence as he slowly releases his shoulder.
Richard scoffs before storming off the stage, (Y/N) watching him before her eyes shift back to Johnny.
"Thanks. For. Coming. Richard." Buster grits out as the man leaves, his eye twitching as he watches him leave the building.
(Y/N) sighs deeply, slapping on a smile as she softly chuckles.
"Easy, Buster," (Y/N) grins, nudging Buster before walking in front of the soloists.
Buster grumbles but relaxes, huffing as he nods while crossing his arms over his chest. (Y/N) glances along the soloists, though she already knew who she was picking.
"I want..." She drags the word, humming softly before before stopping in front of Johnny. "You," (Y/N) grins, pointing to Johnny with her pen.
Johnny was still glaring the direction Richard had left in, but when she speaks his eyes instantly dart back to her. He was startled to find she was in front of him, his expression melting from anger to both shock and nervousness.
"M-Me?!" He stammers with disbelief, a bright smile spreading on his face.
"Yeah, you," (Y/N) laughs with some amusement, nodding as she watches him.
Johnny was in shock, breathlessly chuckling under his breath as he looks down at the floor with an unending smile.
"Well! That settles it," Buster grins, having calmed down from earlier. "That's everyone on the list."
Everyone sighs in disappointment before starting to leave.
"Oh, wait," (Y/N) calls, making Buster look over to her. "What about Rosita?"
"Oh, right! Is Rosita still here?" Buster yells over the crowd.
"Yes! Y-Yes, I'm here!" Rosita calls, waving her arm with a smile as she walks over to Buster and (Y/N).
"Rosita, Rosita, Rosita," Buster mumbles, tapping the clipboard.
"Great set of pipes," (Y/N) reads out loud quietly.
"But boring to watch."
Rosita sighs, disappointed as she looks down. "I knew it."
"So... What should I do?" Buster mutters to himself in thought, tapping his board with his pen. "I could partner you up with..."
"Gunter!" (Y/N) points with a wide smile, making Buster nod.
"Gunter! Where are ya?" Buster yells, leaving Rosita confused as she tilts her head.
"Ja! Ja! This is me!" The man from before calls, running towards the two before leaping over them and spinning, landing next to Rosita and blowing his blond hair from his face.
(Y/N) smiles with amusement as Buster laughs.
"Ja! That's gonna spice things up on stage." Buster says with a nod, turning and walking away with (Y/N) and Ms. Crawly in tow.
"W-Wait, you want us to sing together?" Rosita stammers after the three, baffled.
"Ja!" Gunter dances, "the two of us together, are you joking me? We are going to be spicy," he bumps hips with her, "no?"
Rosita awkwardly laughs and shyly copies the dance he was doing as he laughed in excitement.
...
"Those two are fools, Sherry-Anne!" The mother of the girl yells, dragging her out of the building. "You are gonna be a star one day!"
Eddie watches in amazement as all the people exit, impressed and surprised that Buster wasn't joking.
"Auditions are over, pal," the lab tech from before speaks sadly. "Show's already been cast."
Eddie looks after him before heading inside, swiping a flyer from the front and tucking it in his pocket.
...
"Okay! You are our chosen few," Buster watches the people leave, (Y/N) standing beside him.
The small group clammers in excitement as (Y/N) notices Eddie approaching. She waves and gestures to a seat, which he takes.
"This is it, folks! The defining moment of all our lives!"
"Uh, Buster," (Y/N) calls as the same group of girls from before sets their stuff up as they giggle.
"Um, no..." Buster stammers, noticing them. "No, no, no. Not you guys. I dismissed all the group acts already."
"You... uh, can go home," (Y/N) politely smiles.
She flinches back and looks at Buster with a raised brow as they reply in Japanese, bowing to them repeatedely.
"Look, I'm really sorry... But all of the slots are filled," Buster apologizes, gesturing to the clipboard.
She continues to speak in Japanese as they bow, clicking on the music and dancing.
"Uh, no, no--" (Y/N) tries to cut them off, sighing in defeat.
"No. In. Show." Buster tries to enunciate, but they continue dancing. "Goodbye-bye." He shuts off the music, "Ms. Crawly!"
"Come on, you guys! Out of here!" Ms. Crawly ushers them away as they giggle and run off. "Come on, off the stage!"
Eddie chuckles as they run off, pulling out the flyer he grabbed and looking it over before he felt his heart plummet, snapping his head up to look at (Y/N) and Buster.
"Hey, Moon, (L/N). What's the story?"
"Story?" (Y/N) questions with a raised brow, glancing at Mike as he sits on the large chest.
"Is the prize really inside this thing?" Mike replies, looking at the chest.
"Oh. Sure, it's all in there," Buster nods, looking back to his board.
"Well, open it, will ya? I wanna see what 100,000 dollars looks like."
(Y/N) furrowed her brows in confusion, looking at Mike before noticing Eddie rapidly approaching.
"Me, too!" Johnny grins in excitement.
"Yeah, go on! Open it, Mr. Moon," Rosita agrees as the group all clammers and approaches the two.
"Sure, I'll open it!"
Ms. Crawly and (Y/N) look at each other as Buster starts taking out his key before freezing.
"Wait, what did you say?" Buster stammers.
"He said a hundred thousand dollars!!" Eddie yells with wide eyes, showing the flyer.
(Y/N) runs over to it, grabbing it and staring at the big bold 100,000 with wide eyes. Buster snatches it before shrieking, nervously laughing.
Johnny and the others look at the two in confusion as they start nervously sweating and laughing.
"Uh... Forgot my keys," Buster stammers. "Brother and sister be right back!!"
He practically carries Ms. Crawly as the four rush to the office, leaving behind the confused group to mingle.
...
(Y/N)'s P.O.V
I rub Ms. Crawly's back as she sobs, gripping her handkerchief.
"For the last time, Ms. Crawly, we're not going to fire you!" Buster tries to explain, his irritation high as he tries to maintain a level head. "Now would you pull yourself together and please blow that nose of yours?!"
I cringe as she starts blowing her nose, one of Buster's pet peeves, and he shudders.
"No, no, no. Not in here, blow it outside," Buster says in a strained voice, leading Ms. Crawly out.
"I'm sorry," she sobs, leaving the room.
"It's okay," I call before closing the door with a heavy sigh. "Well... This is... Bad."
"Well, what do you expect? She's, like, a hundred years old," Eddie replies, looking at the flyer with furrowed brows.
"I was there, Eddie. How did I not notice?" I grumble, messing up my hair with a sigh.
"E-Eddie, please, if-if your folks could just loan us the money until--"
Eddie cuts Buster off, "a hundred thousand dollars? Guys, come on!"
I frown and rub my neck as Buster starts pacing.
"I gotta think, I've got to think."
"Think with that big brain, Buster!" I dramatically yell, gripping his shoulder and smacking his forehead softly as he chuckles a little.
He pulls away before pacing, muttering 'I've got to think' on a loop.
"Look," Eddie sighs, leaning back in Buster's chair and looking around. "Maybe it's time to stop thinking, and it's time to just, move on."
"Eddie..." I trail off in a warning tone.
He holds up his hands in surrender and sighs. "All I'm saying is this theater of yours, you could get some decent money for it and, I dunno. Maybe we could all do something together."
"Like what?!" Buster breaks, frantically running his hands through his hair and messing it up so he looked absolutely crazy. "Sit around playing video games?!" He lets out a small shriek, making me jump at his panicked face.
"Uh, Buster, calm down," I nervously laugh, making him take in a deep breath and smooth out his hair before he points firmly to his bucket.
"Do you know what this is?"
His dad's old bucket...
"Uh... It's a bucket," Eddie raises a brow.
"Do you know why he has that bucket?" I question, making Eddie look at me and shrug.
"Because the roof is leaking?"
"No." Buster points to the bucket next to his dad's, "that's the bucket for the leak. I have this one because..." He walks over to the bucket, picking it up. "It belonged to my father. Every day for thirty years, he worked his butt off washing cars with his two hands just so I could buy this place. Every day, Eddie. Just for me."
Buster sighs, making me pat his back with a small, sympathetic smile.
"Wow. Sounds like a great dad," Eddie nods before sighing, leaning forward. "So... How do you guys wanna handle this?"
The intercom beeps, making me jump as Ms. Crawly's voice comes through.
"Uh, Mr. Moon? Ms. (L/N)? I got Judith from the bank holding on line two again."
Eddie looks over at us as Buster sighs, placing his bucket back on the shelf.
"Well... There's only one thing we can do."
... He's not giving up.
...
Buster throws the doors to the building open, making the group look at us.
"Okay, everybody! Listen up!" Buster firmly says as I follow next to him as he walks through the aisle, Eddie behind us. "We gotta send you all home. Right now."
I look over at Buster as the group gives questioning responses.
"Yep! Cause like my dad used to say, get a good night's sleep, and do a great day's work!"
I look at Buster with wide eyes as the group all cheers happily.
"Buster?!" I harshly whisper, but he shushes me.
"That's right! Rehearsals begin first thing tomorrow morning!" Buster rushes towards the stage, making me rush after him as Eddie stands with wide eyes. "And if you wanna become a star and win 100 grand, then you gotta work harder than you've ever worked in your lives!"
I follow him up the stairs, glaring at Buster slightly.
We can't lie to them like this!
"Buster--"
"So, get some sleep, and dream big dreams!" He finishes with a huge smile, making me sigh and place a hand on my forehead as everyone cheers.
Well... We're in trouble.
...
Another chapter! owo