CHAPTER 23: BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL

As expected, a heated argument broke out between Parul and Leo.

After a few minutes, Leo stormed out full of anger.

Looking at Parul, who was about to rush out and chase after him, Beatrix hurriedly interjected,

"Parul, don’t chase!"

"As a girl, have the bare common sense that you don’t need to please anyone."

"That’s right, after some time, he will probably come back crawling and apologise profusely."

Asuna also chimed in.

Clearly, both of them were adding fuel to the fire, but it wasn’t my concern.

"Okay...okay, just because a single person left, it doesn’t mean the party will die."

"These boys are really getting so full of themselves, just leave them alone and they will message back like a simp in no time."

Claire also exclaimed sternly.

Mark and Luther just kept their heads down, fiddling with their mobile phones, not at all bothering to get entangled in this mess. They knew if they spoke, they would become the victim of everyone’s loathing; it was better to mind their own business.

After a few rounds of coaxing, Parul finally sobered.

"Guys, let’s continue the party."

"Leo’s temper has been increasing lately.’

"Maybe you all are right, better leave him alone to introspect."

In affirmation to her friends, Parul nodded repeatedly.

"Let’s continue round 2 of the individual karaoke competition."

"It’s already 6 pm, we also need to cut the cake, let’s hurry."

With Parul’s green signal, once again everyone started their solo performance holding the exclusive karaoke mic.

"Hmmm, it’s my turn first?"

Beatrix was a bit surprised when the screen randomly showed her name to perform, but with overconfidence flowing through her veins, she fluffed back her hair on her forehead and immediately took the centre stage.

Perhaps it was a coincidence?

One by one, everyone performed until only I was left.

After 50 minutes of splendid performances with some intermittent breaks, the scores on the big LCD screen were vividly displayed:

Claire- 91

Rainaziel- 93

Beatrix- 83

Parul- 84

Mark- 88

Luther- 86

"Now only you are left, Elandor?"

"Can the boyfriend Elandor beat his highest scorer girlfriend Asuna?"

Claire was full of excitement.

Parul was also in full-on ecstasy mode.

"Hehe, I think I won’t be last this time."

"Given his duo performance, I am sure Elandor will finish ahead....."

"....That means Beatrix will be most likely to be last!"

Parul provocatively teased Beatrix who was in a somewhat downcast mood after looking at the results.

Before I could sing, Asuna hastily whispered in my ears.

"Perform your best and show them that I found a very capable man."

"When they witness such a scene, their intestines will burn with sheer jealousy."

Asuna was in her own fantasies.

According to her, this was the perfect opportunity to settle both the status and score with her friends.

This was the first time for me to perform so out of turn.

Everyone was looking at me with curiosity, but they didn’t know the most scared person was actually me.

Someone like me who never learned more than two songs in two lifetimes was here preparing to give a studio-like performance?

If I hadn’t once died under Asuna’s hands and almost seen the gates of the underworld, I would still assume all of this was a big-crazy dream.

With my trembling hands, I slowly held the microphone.

Under my hesitant eyes, the LCD screen randomly started picking a song for me- Love from another galaxy!

This was a classic soulful melody, the difficulty in hitting high notes was so absurd that even the original singer of this song failed to bring out the full potential of the lyrics.

Everyone gasped!

Until now, all of them got easy and casual songs, but Elandor straight away got hell level difficulty.

[Intermediate Singing Skills Activating to Full Potential.]

With the system’s prompt, I steadily opened my mouth.

"Sometimes I wonder..."

"...Are we travellers from another galaxy?"

Hmmmmm~

"Crushed by fate and broken in love, this journey of our regret and success?"

With my superior skills, I instantly immersed myself in this soulful melody.

Everyone witnessing this spectacular performance was speechless.

The singing was too damn good!

"Did he really say he was only a low-level bedtime singer?"

Asuna mumbled in her mouth.

"Fuck! I wonder why this boy is still not famous? With such skills, crowds of girls will go crazy for your concert."

Luther showed no intent in hiding his jealousy.

Even Beatrix who always showed a strong inherent dislike for Elandor was taken aback.

"Crap! His skills are too excellent."

"It will now be too hard for me to make him willingly leave Asuna."

Beatrix gritted her teeth with utter hatred, all her plans for today were shattered because of Elandor’s presence.

The most affected perhaps was the hostess Claire herself.

"My adoptive sister always used to sing this song when we were small."

"Mitshua?"

"Where are you now?"

Claire slowly closed her eyes and put her slender arms over her beating heart as small tears started streaking down her cheeks.

As for Parul who interacted the most with Elandor this evening, she had a strange idea.

"Such talent...."

"......it is such a shame for it to be hidden from this world."

"You helped me see many things I was before oblivious to, so let me help you this time."

Muttering to herself, Parul took out her mobile phone and started recording Elandor’s little concert.

As I kept singing more and more, my fear started to dissipate.

After releasing the pressure, my mind was finally at ease.

And when the song ended, the karaoke screen lit up with a heavy notification.

"Oh my God!"

"A score of 98?"

"Isn’t it said that it’s impossible to get a score of more than 95?"

Claire yelled crazily.

"Fuck!"

"It clearly means that he sang better than the original artist."

Parul sneakily hid the phone that was actively recording into her back pocket and also shouted with the crowd.

Seeing their dazzled expressions, I was thankful that the system only gave me intermediate skills.

If it were high-level skills then they would have simply gone mad, right?

There is a limit to which we can make others jealous lol, I don’t want to arouse hidden enmities because of this.