Urich was in the kitchen that morning, still half-asleep, making breakfast for himself and his family. He had been doing this for almost a week now — the same slow, quiet routine since he was laid off because od he hate being lazy. The house felt unusually still.No calls. No meetings. No new offers.

He had always been the kind of man people fought to work with, but now, after what happened with Michael, it was like the whole industry had gone silent.

Even though he tried to act like it didn't bother him, deep down, it did.

The toaster beeped, and just as he reached for it, his phone vibrated on the counter. He glanced at the screen lazily — then froze when he saw the name.

Dayo.

He blinked, thinking maybe he was imagining it. But the message was real. His hands trembled a little as he unlocked his phone and started reading.

By the time he reached the end, a small smile crept across his face — the kind of smile he hadn't worn in days.

For a few seconds, he just stood there, staring at the message, not moving. Then he laughed quietly to himself. "This boy… unbelievable."

His wife's voice came from behind him.

"Why are you laughing like that? You haven't even finished breakfast."

He turned, still smiling. "You won't believe who just messaged me."

"Who?" she asked, walking closer with a curious look.

"Dayo," he said, almost proudly.

She tilted her head. "The same Dayo from the competition thing?"

"Yes. That Dayo."

She smiled. "Oh wow. What did he say?"

He handed her the phone, watching her eyes scan the message. When she finished, she smiled softly. "That's nice. I'd like to meet this Dayo guy someday."

Urich's smile disappeared immediately. "Ah no, no, no. Don't even think about that."

She laughed. "Why not?"

"Because that one is a smooth criminal. I can't let him steal you from me."

She rolled her eyes, giggling. "You're exaggerating."

"I'm not," he said, pretending to frown. "That boy is dangerous. He talks calm, acts calm, but inside — he's too sharp."

His wife shook her head and went back to her tea. "You're just jealous."

He chuckled and leaned back against the counter. "Maybe. But still, I can't lie… I'm happy."

For the first time in a long while, he actually meant it.

He had lost a lot when he got fired — his job, his reputation, his confidence. But this message from Dayo reminded him that not everyone had forgotten what he could do.

He knew how much Dayo had been affected by the whole UCL situation. The fact that Dayo could still reach out — without mentioning the non-disclosure agreement or holding a grudge — meant something deeper.

It meant respect. It meant trust.

He sighed, feeling a quiet warmth inside him. "Maybe this is the start of something new," he said softly.

Then, with a small grin, he turned to his wife. "Alright, let me finish this breakfast. I've got a message to reply to."

***

Across town, the morning sun slipped through the curtains of a small apartment.

Alice was still in bed, curled under her blanket, when her phone buzzed beside her.

She groaned, reaching for it lazily. "Who's messaging me this early?"

Her eyes half-opened, she looked at the screen — and froze when she saw the name.

Dayo.

That woke her up completely. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and opened the message.

As she read through, her heart began to beat faster. By the time she got to the end, she couldn't help but smile.

"Wow…" she whispered.

She didn't even realize she'd been smiling for a while until her friend's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Alice! Alice! I've been calling you!"

Alice blinked and turned. Her friend, Mira, stood by the door, holding two mugs of coffee.

"Sorry," Alice said, trying to hide her face. "I just got a message."

Mira squinted playfully. "A message from who?"

Alice hesitated, then handed her the phone.

Mira read the message slowly. As soon as she finished, she looked up with a teasing grin. "Ohhh… look who's texting you. Maybe you're finally getting close to your crush."

Alice's eyes widened. "What crush?"

Mira laughed. "Please, don't even pretend. I mean you basically threw your career under the bus because of him."

Alice shook her head, trying not to smile. "You're crazy."

Mira raised a brow. "Am I? Look at you — you're literally blushing."

"I'm not!" Alice said quickly, touching her face. But she could feel the heat there and turned away in embarrassment.

"Uh-huh," Mira teased. "You like him."

"I just respect him," Alice said softly. "He's… different. He's calm, focused, and smart. You can tell he's not like other artists. He talks like someone way older."

Mira smirked. "So, you do like him."

Alice sighed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

They both laughed.

After a while, Mira nudged her shoulder. "So, what are you going to do? Are you going to reply?"

Alice smiled faintly. "Hmm… maybe."

"Maybe?" Mira asked. "You better say yes before he finds someone else."

Alice smirked. "No, I think I'll make him wait a bit. Play hard to get."

Mira gasped playfully. "Ohhh, playing games already?"

Alice laughed. "Not games — just strategy. If he really wants me, he'll message again."

Mira rolled her eyes. "You girls and your strategies."

Alice leaned back on the bed, staring at the message again, her smile soft but thoughtful.

She didn't know what it was, but Dayo's words carried something sincere. He wasn't just offering a job — he was showing respect, trust, and gratitude.

It wasn't about fame or work. It was about recognition.

And she liked that.

After a long pause, she whispered to herself, "Maybe I'll say yes. Just… not yet."

Mira grinned. "You're totally saying yes."

Alice chuckled. "We'll see."

---

That morning, in two different places, two people who had once felt lost finally found a spark again — a reason to look forward.

Neither of them knew it yet, but their replies would mark the start of something that would change JD Records forever.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.