Busking

Walking through the park, Prince let out a relaxed breath. The air was crisp, carrying the earthy scent of fallen maple leaves scattered across the path in a mix of vibrant green and golden hues. People strolled leisurely, some deep in conversation, others simply enjoying the tranquil afternoon. A few families had set up small picnics, their laughter mingling with the rustling leaves.

There was something comforting about it all—a peaceful contrast to the noise and energy of the city.

Prince made his way to an empty lawn near a shaded tree. He set down his guitar bag, unzipped it, and carefully laid it open on the grass. With practiced ease, he pulled out his guitar, its polished wood gleaming under the soft sunlight.

Strumming a few light chords, he tested the tuning, adjusting the pegs slightly until the notes rang out just right. The gentle sound caught the attention of a few passersby, who slowed their steps, curious about what was to come.

A smile tugged at Prince's lips. Taking a deep breath, he began to play.

The first chords of Dive by Ed Sheepran rang out, soft yet deliberate. His fingers danced across the strings, plucking out the melody with precision. Then, his voice followed—deep, smooth, and brimming with raw emotion.

"Maybe I came on too strong"

"Maybe I waited too long"

"Maybe I played my cards wrong"

"Oh, just a little bit wrong"

"Baby, I apologize for it"

As he sang, more people started pausing. Some stood a few feet away, intrigued, while others took a seat on the grass to listen. A gentle breeze blew through the park, carrying his voice effortlessly through the open, blending seamlessly with the strumming of his guitar.

"I could fall, or I could fly"

"Here in your aeroplane"

"And I could live, I could die"

"Hanging on the words you say"

"And I've been known to give my all"

"And jumping in harder than"

"Ten thousand rocks on the lake"

His fingers moved effortlessly, plucking the strings with precision as he transitioned smoothly into the chorus.

"So don't call me baby"

"Unless you mean it"

"Don't tell me you need me"

"If you don't believe it"

"So let me know the truth"

"Before I dive right into you"

The melody floated through the park, drawing in more listeners. A small crowd had begun to gather, some swaying lightly to the rhythm, others simply watching in quiet fascination. A few people pulled out their phones, recording snippets of his performance.

Near the front, a family of four—a pair of pig Beastmen and their two children—stood watching. The little girl, with round cheeks and wide, sparkling eyes, clapped her hands in excitement.

"That was a nice song!" she exclaimed, bouncing on her heels.

Prince chuckled, lowering his guitar slightly as he looked at the family. "Thank you! Glad you liked it."

The girl's little brother, who had been clinging to their mother's leg, suddenly piped up. "Can you play another one?"

Prince grinned and crouched slightly to their level. "Of course! But first, what's your name?"

"I'm Peppa! And this is my little brother, George!" the girl said proudly.

Prince froze for a second, his smile widening in amusement. Peppa? George? No way…

He remembered the cartoon from his past life and nearly laughed out loud. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Well, Peppa and George, it's nice to meet you both." He strummed a few light notes before adding, "Any song requests?"

Peppa clapped excitedly. "Sing something fun!"

"Alright, I've got just the thing."

He launched into a more upbeat song, the kind that got toes tapping and heads bobbing. As he played, Peppa and George giggled, swaying to the rhythm. Their parents smiled warmly, nodding along to the beat.

More people stopped to listen, and before long, a steady stream of coins and bills found their way into his open guitar bag. Prince kept playing, occasionally interacting with his growing audience, enjoying the feeling of performing freely.

Minutes turned to hours, and he only stopped when he glanced at his phone and realized it was already 2 PM.

With a final chord, he let the last note fade into the air before lowering his guitar. "That's it for today, folks. Thanks for listening!"

A soft ripple of applause followed, along with a few words of appreciation. Some people dropped a few last-minute tips before moving on, while others lingered for a bit, chatting among themselves.

Peppa and George waved enthusiastically. "Bye, Prince!"

Prince waved back. "See you around!"

As the crowd dispersed, he looked down at his guitar bag, which was significantly heavier than before. His first real busking session had been a success.

Grinning to himself, he slung his guitar over his back, picked up the bag, and stretched his arms above his head.

"Not bad for a day's work," he muttered, already thinking about when he could do it again.

Three Days Later…

[ You have leveled up! Singing has advanced from level 7 to level 8! ]

[ Advancement will become more difficult from here on out! ]

[ Keep singing to improve your skills! ]

Prince nearly toppled off the park bench as a string of notifications popped up on his system panel. Even though he had seen these messages for a month, he still wasn't used to the sudden alerts.

It wasn't too surprising, though. He had been practicing constantly—busking in the park, rehearsing in his dorm, humming melodies whenever he had the chance.

______

The week since the preliminary auditions had flown by in a blur. Now, all the contestants who had made it through were back in Calatonia, gathered in the same grand hall where the auditions had taken place.

Prince had spent that time sharpening his skills, refining his songs, and even taking a leave from his job at the bar to focus on the competition. But one thing had become clear—the higher he climbed, the harder it was to advance.

Yet, despite the challenges, he remained optimistic.

Now, as he stood in the massive hall, surrounded by hundreds of contestants making small talk while waiting for instructions, he couldn't help but feel the weight of the competition settling in.

There should be about a hundred people here, he thought. But as he glanced toward the far end of the room, he quickly realized his estimate was way off.

Actually… it's way more than that.

Exactly 200 contestants had been selected from the preliminary round. Seeing them all in one place made the competition feel even more real.

Out of these 200, only 20 or 25 will remain after the third round.

Prince exhaled slowly and found an empty seat in a corner. Cameramen moved around the room, capturing footage, while staff members answered questions from nervous contestants.

From the snippets of conversation he overheard, it seemed like the judges would be arriving soon to explain the rules of the second round.

If the format was anything like last year's, he already had a general idea of what to expect.

"Hey."

A nudge on his arm pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see a boy about his age grinning at him.

"Yo, I'm Rocky Suarez Ala. Nice to meet you."

Rocky, a panther to be specific, had dark black fur and a sharp but friendly gaze. His perfectly fluent American accent told Prince that he was no stranger to this country.

Before Prince could respond, another contestant sitting across from them spoke. He had a striking look—a white wolf with a red horn and sharp eyes that made him appear serious.

"I'm Cj Solibet from New Jersey," he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you both."

As he introduced himself, his eyes fell on Aiden, and the latter had no choice but to introduce himself.

"I'm Prince Jefferson from Thousand Oak, Calatonia."

Cj's gaze lingered on Prince for a moment before he added, "Wait… I know you. I was there when you auditioned."

"Oh."

Prince simply nodded, surprised that he hadn't noticed Cj back then. But thinking about it, he had been so focused on his own performance that he barely paid attention to the other contestants.

"What do you guys think the second round will be?" Rocky asked, leaning forward with interest.

Cj shrugged. "Last year, they did group performances. If they follow the same format, we might have to form duos or trios and perform together."

"Man, I hope not," Rocky groaned. "I work better solo."

"Same here," Cj admitted. "Group performances are tricky. You have to harmonize, but also stand out enough to impress the judges."

Prince remained quiet, listening intently.

How are they so relaxed? Am I the only one nervous?

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.