"Ah… help!"
A wave of chaos erupted from the hallway, Cliff's desperate cry piercing the air. But Ronan, unfazed, gave the motel door a casual kick to shut it, sealing the noise outside—though the thin door did little to muffle anything.
Munching happily on his burger, Ronan caught Alice's eye. She shook her head with a helpless smile but held back any snarky comments. Instead, she deftly opened her email, clicked into the inbox, and scrolled quickly until she found what she was looking for. Without a word, she stepped aside and gestured for Ronan to take a look.
Ronan, still holding his beef burger with one bite left, didn't rush to shove it in his mouth. He leaned toward the screen, chewing steadily. Since his mouth was full, he kept his questions to himself for now and focused on reading.
But… something felt off.
He scanned it once, his chewing slowing down. He glanced at Alice, only to see her biting her nails, her eyes brimming with confusion. She met his gaze, silently asking: What do you think?
"Wait, isn't this my email? How'd you get in?"
Ronan's first question earned him a massive eye-roll from Alice. "Is that the issue right now?" she snapped. "Did you even read the email?"
Her roar echoed like a lioness, instantly silencing the ruckus in the hall. For a moment, it was dead quiet—probably everyone out there feeling sorry for Ronan and steering clear.
Ronan blinked at her, unfazed, just genuinely curious.
Alice sighed, relenting. "I put a work email on the YouTube bio, just in case something urgent came up—like if someone wanted to reach you guys…" She shrugged, letting the obvious hang in the air. "So, I set up a new email in your name."
Then she added, "Don't worry, I wouldn't touch your actual inbox. You treat it like a dumpster anyway—never deleting a single spam message."
Ronan nodded, totally serious. "Every spam email is an ad. Those people are pouring their hearts into their projects. We don't have to support them, but the least we can do is let them have a spot in the inbox."
Alice took a deep breath, forcing herself not to get tangled in his weird logic. Ronan's brain just worked on a different wavelength. "Let's focus on this email, okay? The email! That's what matters."
Ronan leisurely popped the last bite of his burger into his mouth, chewing with full attention.
Alice couldn't help but laugh, her earlier frustration melting away at his antics. Her smile crept back. "I got this tonight, and I'm totally lost. No idea what's going on, so I figured I'd get your take."
Ronan flashed her a big grin. "Even if the world's ending, we've got superheroes out there holding the line. No need to stress."
That earned him an eye-roll so dramatic it looked like her eyes might not come back down. Ronan burst out laughing, then turned back to the screen, reading it again from the top, word by word.
---
"Dear King for a Day Band,
Hello, I'm John-Marc, tour manager for Bruno Mars. We're currently on the 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans' world tour and looking for a suitable opening act for the final leg. Are you interested?
Please reply within 24 hours. Email works, or use the phone number below.
Sincerely,
John-Marc
Atlantic Records"
---
The email was short—barely two or three sentences, straight to the point with the essentials. That was it. But those few lines? They were… mind-boggling.
"Ronan?" Alice was back to nibbling her nails, a little antsy.
Chomp, chomp. Ronan still hadn't swallowed, though his chewing slowed slightly.
"Ronan!" Alice raised her voice again, only to see him wave a hand to calm her down. His cheeks puffed out like a hamster's, which was honestly kind of hilarious. She couldn't help but smirk.
Bruno Mars?
Opening act for his tour?
This had to be some absurd scam. Even for a fake email, it needed some shred of believability. This was so ridiculous it was hard to take seriously.
Bruno Mars debuted in 2009, dropped his first single in May 2010, and released his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans that October. From there, he took off like a rocket, dominating charts and cementing himself as one of the most influential and popular new voices in American music. Some critics even pegged him as a potential heir to Michael Jackson's pop throne.
Inspired by Elvis Presley and MJ—icons who sparked his love for music—Bruno moved to LA at just 17I at 17 after high school in 2003 to chase his dream. He signed with Motown Records in 2004, but at a mere 5'5", he didn't get a shot as a performer. They pegged him as a behind-the-scenes songwriter instead. It wasn't until 2006, when manager Aaron Bay-Schuck spotted his talent, that he formed The Smeezingtons, his production team. After co-writing three Billboard #1 hits, he landed a deal with Atlantic Records, finally getting his chance to shine.
Before Doo-Wops & Hooligans dropped, its lead single "Just the Way You Are" blew up. The album's first two singles both hit #1 on the Billboard charts. When it released in October 2010, it sold six million copies worldwide and snagged him a Grammy.
And now, this Bruno Mars was supposedly asking King for a Day to open for his tour? Via a YouTube contact? Even wilder, the tour was in its final stretch, and they were just now hunting for an opener? This slapdash, amateur move—needing a reply in 24 hours or what, the slot goes empty? It screamed unprofessional.
If this wasn't a scam, what else could it be?
Absurd! Beyond absurd!
But that very absurdity sparked doubt. If it's a lie, why make it this outrageous? Could it… actually be real?