Simon let out a dumbfounded chuckle, totally blindsided by the fact that it was about this. It wasn't even a big deal. He gave a slight nod. "Yeah, that's us."
"So, is the headline true? Did you really pause work because of that guy's performance?"
Working in media themselves, they knew all too well how editing and perspective could twist information. Maybe Simon and the crew had just been held up by something else, and the footage was spun to look like a dramatic moment. It wouldn't be the first time.
They needed to double-check the facts—newsroom rules: at least two reliable, trustworthy sources, or it could all be distorted snippets.
Simon nodded again. "The title's a bit over-the-top, but yeah, it's true. I stopped because his performance was so captivating. Everyone there can back me up—and there were two… girls, if I remember right." Intimidating girls, at that.
"Whoa!" His coworker let out a gasp, and suddenly a few more heads popped up from who-knows-where, staring at Simon with eager anticipation. Clearly, they'd been dying for this gossip. "Didn't it mess up the workday?"
"Of course not, or I wouldn't still be sitting here," Simon said with a helpless shrug. "We were delayed maybe a minute? Two tops. No big deal. Plus, they were already prepped—the singer was the frontman, and his bandmates were packing up nearby. Everything went smooth."
"Dude, dude! Was his live performance even more gripping? His voice is something else—he could totally rock The Voice. I'd vote for him."
"Eh, I thought it was just okay. People online are making a fuss over nothing."
"I liked it. It's chill, and his tone and skill are solid. Guy's got talent."
"But pausing work for it? That's a stretch. This isn't American Idol or America's Got Talent. What's next, crying on camera for effect?"
"Maybe it just hit Simon where it hurts."
The chatter buzzed around him, pulling Simon back to that night. A memory he'd long tucked away came rushing back, clear as day. The sorrow in that voice still lingered, untouched by time.
Why had he stopped working? Was it something personal? The performance itself? Or something else entirely?
"No idea who he is. Everyone's dying to know his name now."
A stray comment snapped Simon out of his thoughts. "Uh, I know!" he blurted. "I actually went up and asked them. They're…"
His brain froze mid-sentence. He sat there, blanking out like a loading webpage with the little buffering icon spinning. The others grew restless, grumbling under their breath, until it finally clicked.
"King for a Day!"
Simon slapped the table. "Yeah, 'King for a Day'!"
He yanked out his laptop, hopped on YouTube, and searched. In no time, he found the account he should've checked two weeks ago. Clicking through, he saw a string of videos and grinned. "See? I got it right—King for a Day!"
His coworkers crowded around like curious groundhogs. "Check it out, they've been filming their whole journey? Whoa, this quality! The visuals! This is legit—probably shot and edited by a pro. Weren't they supposed to be indie?"
The guesses flew fast and loud. Simon was caught off guard too. This wasn't what he'd pictured—not amateur at all. The framing, the colors, the lighting, the camera work—it screamed professional polish, even to their trained eyes.
"Wait, what's up with this latest video?" Another exaggerated yelp exploded near his ear, making him wince. He half-expected his eardrum to burst, but he glanced at the screen anyway. The newest upload was a short behind-the-scenes clip of an official tour.
It was just three minutes long, titled "King's Road 2: First Official Tour."
What the heck?
An "official tour" meant ticketed shows—real venues, real fans. Whether it was 200 or 2,000 people, it showed the band had a following. So why, in that earlier viral video, did no one recognize them?
Sure, Simon could guess: the video only featured the lead singer, and for a lesser-known band, the frontman's image might not match the group's. Still, a video with five million views and no one clocking the singer? That's wild.
And those two girls—didn't they see it either?
It didn't add up.
Simon's eyes flicked around the other videos. Their views were still low—barely any cracked ten thousand. That viral hit hadn't funneled attention to the band. No one seemed to know their name.
So how'd they score a tour?
Things felt… off.
But maybe that was a good thing. That singer deserved more eyes on him—whether from the tour or the viral clip. He deserved way more.
With that, Simon dug up the five-million-view video and dropped a comment: "This is the lead singer of King for a Day. Here's their YouTube channel."
He pasted the link, then flipped back to the band's page and clicked the latest video. He wanted to see what this tour was about. Maybe, if he got the chance, he'd catch them live. How good were they as a full band?
So, what's the real story behind the tour?
It's a bit complicated—but not really. Rewind two weeks, back to that night in Las Vegas.
It all kicked off on that magical, electric evening—like Aladdin stumbling onto a lamp, making three wishes, and watching miracles unfold.