SuperStar!

The Wiltern was plunged into total darkness, the chatter and cheers of the audience fading into a breathless hush. For a moment, there was nothing but the expectant quiet, the kind of silence that could only be found in a room filled with thousands of people holding their breath. Then, like a single star piercing a moonless night, a spotlight flared to life in the center of the stage.

There stood Ethan.

Dressed in loose, white clothing that seemed to flow with the slightest movement, he looked almost ethereal. His blond hair shimmered under the light, and his striking blue eyes glowed with a quiet intensity. He held the microphone close, his gaze distant, as though he were somewhere else entirely. For a heartbeat, the audience could only stare, captivated by the sight of him.

Then the first notes of the piano began to play, soft and haunting, filling the room with an aching melody. Ethan lifted the microphone to his lips and began to sing.

"I was listening to the ocean… I saw a face in the sand. But when I picked it up, Then it vanished away from my hands."

His voice was pure and resonant, carrying an undercurrent of vulnerability that tugged at the heartstrings. Each word seemed to pour out of him effortlessly, as if he were baring his soul to the room. The audience was transfixed, their eyes locked on him as his voice rose and fell with the rhythm of the song.

"I had a dream I was seven… Climbing my way in a tree. I saw a piece of heaven Waiting, impatient, for me."

Maya stood at the front, her hands gripping the edge of the stage, tears streaming down her face. She had never heard a voice like Ethan's before. It wasn't just the words or the melody—it was the raw emotion he poured into every note. Around her, others were just as moved. Some wiped their eyes; others closed them, letting the music wash over them.

As the chorus began, the audience couldn't hold back any longer. A murmur of voices joined in, hesitant at first, then growing stronger.

"Runaway, runaway, runaway with me…"

Ethan seemed unaware of the voices rising around him. He was lost in the music, his eyes closed, his body swaying slightly with the rhythm. It was as if he were alone on the stage, singing to the depths of his own heart. His hands moved instinctively, gesturing as though he were painting pictures in the air with his voice.

By the time the final notes of the song faded, the audience was fully immersed. The applause that erupted was thunderous, a wave of sound that rolled over the room and seemed to shake the very walls of the venue. Ethan opened his eyes for the first time since the song began, and for a moment, he seemed startled by the intensity of the response. Then he smiled—a small, genuine smile that lit up his face.

He stepped back to the piano, his fingers gliding over the keys as he began another song. This one was slower, more melancholic, and instantly recognizable to the audience.

"I wanna take you somewhere so you know I care… But it's so cold and I don't know where."

The words of the next song resonated deeply. Ethan's voice grew richer, more layered, as he sang about unspoken love and longing. The audience's collective heart seemed to break and mend with every verse. Maya could feel the weight of the lyrics pressing against her chest, the raw vulnerability in Ethan's performance pulling her further into the moment.

By now, Ethan had entirely disappeared into the music. He wasn't just performing; he was living every note, every word. His hands moved seamlessly between the piano keys and the microphone stand, his face a canvas of emotion. It was clear that, in this moment, there was no audience for him—no expectations, no distractions. Just the music.

He closed his eyes again as he transitioned into his third song, the piano notes shifting into a familiar and nostalgic tune. The audience erupted as they recognized the opening chords.

"Once I was seven years old… My mama told me, 'Go make yourself some friends, or you'll be lonely.'"

The crowd didn't just sing along this time—they belted out the lyrics. The energy in the room was electric, a powerful harmony of voices blending with Ethan's. He opened his eyes, and for the first time that night, he truly looked at the crowd. His gaze swept over the sea of faces, each one illuminated by the glow of stage lights and the collective joy of the moment.

Ethan's heart swelled. This was why he did this. This connection, this shared experience. For a moment, he stopped playing, letting the audience carry the song. He stood there, a smile breaking across his face as thousands of voices filled the space he had created.

Backstage, Jessica, Rebecca, and Bill watched the performance unfold on a monitor. Jessica, the label overseer, leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed but a glimmer of pride in her eyes.

"He's a natural," she said, almost to herself.

Rebecca, his publicist, nodded, her gaze never leaving the screen. "It's more than that. He's magnetic. The way he connects with people… he's going to be bigger than we ever imagined."

Bill, Ethan's agent, smirked. "I told you. The kid's got it. He's not just a performer—he's a phenomenon."

As they spoke, Ethan finished the final chorus of "7 Years," his voice lingering in the air as the audience erupted once more. The applause was deafening, a thunderous wave that echoed through the theater. Ethan took a step back, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. For a moment, he looked almost vulnerable, as if he couldn't quite believe what had just happened.

The spotlight dimmed, leaving him bathed in soft light. He stepped back toward the piano, his hand brushing over the keys as if he weren't ready to leave just yet. The audience's cheers began to rise again, a chant of his name breaking out from somewhere in the crowd.

"Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!"

Backstage, Jessica glanced at Rebecca and Bill. "This is just the beginning. If he keeps this up, he'll redefine what it means to be a global star."

Rebecca smiled. "He already has. We just have to make sure the world knows it."

Bill chuckled. "Oh, they'll know. Trust me, they'll know."