Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Lollapalooza Festival part 3
"Wowwwwwwwww~~~~~~"
"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeek~~~~~~~~"
"Kyaaaaaaaahhh"
Over 100,000 spectators cheered wildly at Chicago's Grand Park, waving their hands in response to Rob's acknowledgment from the main stage. After catching a glimpse of Geon standing behind the amps next to the stage, Rob quickly jumped up onto a large amp on the left. The audience focused on Rob and cheered even louder.
With his hand raised, Rob drew attention to the audience and spoke, smiling, "I'm really thrilled to be part of a festival today that can resonate with the earth and sky in the name of the Lollapalooza Festival."
"Wow~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The audience cheered at Rob's words. He continued, waving his hands around and pointing to the stage with his right hand, "Featuring Carlos Santana on guitar!!!!!!!!!!"
"Jing~~~~~~~~~ jee-kee-jee-kee-jee-kee-jing~~~~~~~~~~"
As Carlos played a short guitar ad-lib following Rob's introduction, the audience responded with an even louder roar.
"Wowwwww~~~~Kyaaaaaa~~~~~~~~~~"
In his seventies, Carlos played with a passion that belied his age, truly embodying a global musician. Rob waited until the audience's cheers subsided and shouted again, "And here! Introducing Santana's new face to all of you! The young genius from Juilliard! Kay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The audience tilted their heads at the unfamiliar name but eventually welcomed Kay with applause. They exchanged puzzled glances, unable to hide their confusion.
"Kay? Who's that?"
"Isn't that from Juilliard?"
"Isn't that the school for classical music?"
"Who is that, who is that? Have you heard of him?"
"I don't know, but seems good! Let's just enjoy it!"
At the back of the stage, Geon appeared.
Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and a flashy coat, unlike Santana's members in colorful pants, Geon wore black slacks, black shoes, and a black coat. Only his shirt beneath was a white dress shirt. As Geon revealed himself, the audience murmured and pointed at him.
While male spectators sent quizzical looks, the female audience erupted in cheers.
"Kyaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Oh my! He's so handsome!"
"He's totally my style!! Oh my, that black hair looks so mysterious!"
"Squeee! Oh my gosh!!!!!!!"
Male spectators glanced at the large screen displaying Geon's face, observing the reactions of the female audience.
"Wow~ he's really good-looking."
"Cool!! Can he sing? Let's hear him once!"
Geon looked down from the stage.
The chilly weather didn't stop men from rolling up their sleeves or taking off their shirts, waving them in the air, cheering ecstatically.
When Geon saw Carlos and Rob, the two grinned and raised their thumbs. Geon nodded slightly, a signal of readiness, and Carlos gestured to the drummer and percussionist.
As professional musicians, the classical guitarist in front of the bassist signaled the start, joined by percussion and ballet. The bass guitar's low notes set the melody, and after eight bars, Carlos's guitar joined in.
A serene prelude flowed, drums entered, and the music shifted from a serene start to a rhythmic tune that made bodies sway lightly, encouraging the audience to dance. The stage lights darted around, elevating the tension, and slowly, hands rose, and the crowd started to dance.
More seemed lost in enjoying the music, dancing amongst themselves, than focusing solely on the stage, after the two previous songs.
Geon closed his eyes.
Just as the vocals were about to join, Geon opened his eyes, looking up at the sky over the heads of the hundred thousand-strong audience.
"Stay with it baby, And that's all I ask of you."
As his emotionally charged voice echoed through the arena, heads turned towards the stage, abandoning dancing with friends or loved ones.
On the giant screen, a beautiful young man gazed at the sky with a wistful expression.
"And I know that someday, You won't remember, The way that this moment feels to you."
A few female audience members gathered their hands to their chests, wearing dreamy expressions. None in the audience danced now; all eyes were fixated on the beautiful young man on stage.
Geon's eyes glistened.
He sang, his gaze distant, lifting his right hand as if reaching for someone's untouchable cheek, wiping away an invisible tear.
"Don't let it go, Don't turn your back on what you think you know," Geon continued, his voice carrying the emotion of the lyrics.
"You never know, you know," he added, his voice almost pleading.
"Don't leave it alone, 'Cause I need you to cling to," he sang passionately.
Onstage, the session musicians, including Rob, and Carlos, were all watching Geon intently. Rob, in particular, swayed to the Latin rhythm, smiling broadly as if effortlessly absorbed by the performance. Carlos played his guitar behind Geon's vocals, his hands slightly trembling.
"Am I shaking?" Geon wondered, noticing Carlos's closed eyes. Playing the guitar seamlessly alongside Geon's vocals, Carlos seemed to declare, "I am Carlos Santana."
Geon climbed onto the large amp Rob stood on, moving naturally as he sang.
"Because you are my kind, You're all that I want," Geon sang, the audience now reeling in admiration.
"Here in this life, Until we are gone," his voice resounded with passion.
"Our breath and our skin, Our hearts and our minds, They're one and the same, you are my kind," he sang, ending the verse.
The audience, initially dazed, erupted into cheers, their enthusiasm escalating.
"Wooohoooo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
"Who's that! Who is he!"
"Kyaaaaaaa!!! Kay! Kay!"
"I'm your fan from today, Kay!! Kyaaaaaa!"
"I'll pitch a tent in front of Juilliard!"
The excitement spread contagiously from female to male spectators, and all hundred thousand seemed to sway and dance in sync to the music.
Abigail, watching from a distance behind the stage, couldn't tear her eyes away from the image of Geon on the jumbo screen.
"What do I do? I'd even be a servant, just take me away, Geon, darn it," she murmured, transfixed by the sight.
Kate, seated nearby, widened her eyes at Geon, then jabbed Abigail's side, saying, "Hey, give up on that one. He's way beyond your league."
Kate turned her head towards Abigail, who was staring blankly at the stage without a response. A little distance away, she noticed three men. These striking men, seen before the performance, remained impassive, arms folded, as the music began.
Observing the trio with a curious tilt of her head, Kate suddenly heard the tall, dark-haired man at the center chuckling and saying something.
"You're doing well. Want a little help?"
The fair-haired boy beside him widened his eyes slightly, glancing at the dark-haired man. "Huh? Intervening, Amdusias?"
The dark-haired man chuckled, looking at the fair-haired boy. "Well, isn't it alright? With such tremendous energy already gathered, it's worth taking a bit of risk for an adventure."
Raising his right hand towards the sky, the dark-haired man flicked his fingers. Perplexed, Kate glanced between them and followed the dark-haired man's gaze to the sky.
A curtain-like cluster of light descended from above, its gradation ranging from sky blue to golden brown. Fluttering in the air, it resembled billowing curtains caught in the wind. Kate's eyes widened, pointing her finger at the sky.
"Is that the Aurora?"
Descending into the upper atmosphere of the polar region above Chicago's Grand Park, the Aurora appeared. Over a hundred thousand spectators marveled at the sight, as Geon, on the stage, knelt by the amps and began the second verse. Enchanted by the beautiful Aurora and Geon's voice, the audience gradually started shedding tears.
Reflected on the large multi-vision screen, Geon extended his hand towards the Aurora with a poignant gaze. Within the Aurora's reflection in Geon's eyes, a woman appeared. With black hair, she looked incredibly neat and innocent, smiling amidst the Aurora. Geon, attributing the illusion to the emotions of the song, reached out countless times to grasp her, singing fervently.
Amidst the 100,000 spectators gathered at Chicago's Grand Park, each beheld the figure of a loved one, current or past, within the Aurora. What they all shared was the reflection of someone they had once admired or loved in their lives.
Tears welled up in Geon's eyes as he gazed at the woman. Despite his attempts, he couldn't capture her, his eyes filled with sorrow. The final refrain burst forth from Geon's lips.
"Because you are my kind You're all that I want"
"Here in this life Until we are gone"
"Our breath and our skin Our hearts and our minds"
"They're one and the same you are my kind"
Rob, lost in the enchantment of the aurora, and Carlos, fingers dancing on his guitar yet unable to tear his gaze away from the spectacle, along with a multitude of 100,000 spectators immersed in the harmonious symphony of music.
Even after the performance ended, they both found themselves gazing blankly at the sky for quite some time.
The audience, still dazed, stared at the sky or at the screens reflecting what had just happened. Camera operators stationed on metal structures throughout the venue snapped to attention, quickly rewinding their LED screens to replay the just-recorded segment.
As one cameraperson lowered their head and another gestured towards a different structure, both indicating no aurora had been captured by any camera, a sense of disappointment swept the crew.
Three men walked away from the eerily silent Chicago Grand Park, where an unbelievable 100,000-strong audience had gathered. The man with a mane-like hair turned to the one with black hair and inquired.
"Your Highness Kamageen, did you show each human their loved ones?"
Kamageen smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, Puerson. That was the message the child wanted to convey."
Puerson, glancing back and forth, asked, "Then who was the woman shown to the child?"
The blond-haired youth, Pyemon, chuckled heartily.
"Hahaha!"
Perplexed by Pyemon's sudden laughter, Puerson queried while wearing a puzzled expression.
"What? Are you referring to Lady Lilith?"
Kamageen chuckled, looking back at the stage. "The child has yet to experience love. Otherwise, they would have thought of their mother or sister. The humans listening would have done the same."
Pyemon, struggling to contain his laughter, blushing, said, "Hehe, that child doesn't even know in their dreams. Daring to consider Lady Lilith, the mistress of Hell, as an object of unrequited love. Hahaha!"
Kamageen joined in the laughter and patted Puerson's back.
"Come on, let's go. We've been here too long. Puerson, take care tonight."
After Puerson nodded, the three men gradually disappeared over the hill. As they vanished from sight, Kamageen snapped his fingers.
"Snap!"
Instantly, the mesmerized audience at the back of the vanished stage began to awaken. Simultaneously, their illusions shattered, and the aurora disappeared. People, now conscious, gasped at each other before looking back at the stage and bursting into cheers.
"Woaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Bravo!!!!!!!!"
The cheers started from the back and cascaded toward the front of the stage. In an instant, Chicago Grand Park was engulfed in an overwhelming cheer, and the wave of people jumping and cheering created a spectacle on the stage.
Carlos remained in the posture of playing the guitar, head bowed and eyes closed. After a brief moment of relishing the feeling, he slowly opened his eyes. The first person he saw upon looking up was Geon, sitting on his knees on the amp, gazing at the audience.
Geon, meeting Carlos's intense gaze, thought, 'Muse... the muse has come to me as well.'
As Carlos looked around with trembling eyes, he noticed Rob, who had fixed his gaze on Geon. Carlos chuckled, tapped Rob's shoulder, and said, "Muse. We've seen the muse today."
As Santana exited the main stage, preparation crew for the next act rushed in. But the cheers echoing in Chicago Grand Park seemed eternal, continuing endlessly.
That night, Rob and Carlos returned to their hotel, celebrating and drinking until the alcohol became their lullaby. Though Geon, not a drinker, watched them, amused, as they wandered around with bottles in hand. Eventually, in the early hours, one by one, they succumbed to sleep amid the scattered bottles.
**
11 AM.
Geon woke up groggily and quickly got ready. Rob, half-awake, asked as Geon prepared to leave, "Huh? Where are you going?"
Geon, laughing softly at Rob's drowsiness while lying on the floor, replied, "I have somewhere important to go."
Seeing Rob slipping back into sleep, Geon carefully lifted his guitar and headed out of the hotel. Chicago's morning had swiftly moved on from yesterday's live show. Geon arrived at Millennium Station after a 10-minute walk. The hotdog truck operated by the elderly couple was still there, and naturally, the empty bench caught his eye.
Geon walked to the bench, placed his guitar down, and looked around. Suddenly, the grandmother, folding hotdog wrappers behind the truck, noticed Geon and approached enthusiastically.
"Oh, you're back! Your hotdog vanished when I went to reheat it yesterday. Let me make another delicious one for you. Here, have a hotdog!"
After smiling at the grandmother, Geon asked, "Did the lady from yesterday come by today?"
Wiping her hands with a towel, the grandmother looked at Geon, puzzled. "Oh, her? She should be here now. She usually comes around 11:30. But why do you ask?"
Geon smiled and took out his guitar without saying a word.
"I have a debt to repay."
As the grandmother watched Geon tune his guitar, she noticed a woman approaching from afar. The woman walked slowly, just like yesterday, and stood at the same spot, looking down with a sorrowful expression. Geon sat on the bench, placed the guitar on his lap, and began to play.
Watching him play a melody that was so sad yet beautiful, the grandmother, standing beside him, looked at Geon with astonished eyes. Passersby, too, turned their heads at the sudden sound of the guitar. Geon fixed his gaze on the woman and started to sing softly.
"I have often told you stories
about the way I lived the life
of a drifter waiting for the day"
The woman, standing alone, listened to Geon's serenade with tears welling up in her eyes.
The grandmother covered her mouth upon hearing a voice so beautiful and sorrowful, not wanting to disturb Geon's song. Geon, seeing a woman who seemed unaware of his song, sang softly, as if she couldn't hear, while gazing at the ground.
"When I'd take your hand
and sing you songs
Then maybe you would say
'Come lay with me, love me'
And I would surely stay"
As Geon's song continued, passersby stopped in their tracks. Those who turned their gaze toward Geon also noticed the woman he was looking at. Even those who didn't understand English paused their conversations, captivated by the unusual sight of a woman being serenaded.
"Many times I've been a traveler
I looked for something new
In days of old when nights were cold
I wandered without you"
"I thought my eyes had seen you standing near
Though blindness is confusing
It shows that you're not here"
Geon's melodious song resonated deeply with everyone nearby, akin to listening to music through headphones, enveloping their senses.
"Now I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
echo in the distance like the sound
of a windmill going round
I guess I'll always be
a soldier of fortune"
Tears fell beneath the woman's feet.
One drop, then another, until they poured down in torrents.
"Sob... Sniff, sniff..."
As the woman wept, shedding more tears, her shoulders trembling, she eventually sank to the ground, crying out loud.
"Aaahhh~~ Sniff, sniff"
Geon continued playing the guitar, watching her.
"Yes, it's better to cry. Let it out. Louder."
The poignant sound of the woman's heartbreaking sobbing and the soul-stirring guitar merged, echoing through Millennium Station. Even the man looking bewildered as he emerged from the subway, the middle-aged person hurrying somewhere, and the elderly man grilling sausages from his truck—all stopped to look.
All eyes were on the woman, not Geon.
A grandmother selling hotdogs made her way toward her. Slowly, she approached, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, sitting down in front of her, and gently wiping her tears away. When the tear-streaked woman looked up at the grandmother, she held both her hands. They didn't speak, but it felt like words of comfort were exchanged silently.
"Stay strong."
Witnessing the scene between the grandmother and the woman, the onlookers moved. Suddenly, over ten people surrounded her, offering comforting embraces and supportive gestures. No words were spoken, no one knew her story, yet there, in front of Millennium Station, was an array of people offering solace through their eyes.
Geon stopped playing the guitar, but people continued to gather. He stood up from the bench, packed his guitar, then turned respectfully toward the woman.
"My song may not have reached you completely yet. Perhaps it even amplified your sadness. But someday, I'll compose music that will console you. Thank you, truly."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone