[Hyde POV]
"We're already out of the shirts," Megan said excitedly as I returned to the goodies stall.
Jackie was checking out some stuff as we got there, picking up a pair of "Rev It Up" underwear. She noticed what it was and shuddered with disgust.
"Everything is almost gone," Megan added.
"Nice," I said with satisfaction. "Although the tie‑dye shirt sold out two hours ago." I teased.
Megan grumbled in annoyance and rolled her eyes. "They have less inventory than us."
I laughed and said, "Oh. All the cars are sold out."
"Nice!" Megan pumped her fist excitedly.
"Why are you excited? It's not like you're getting any bonuses," I said playfully again.
She laughed and said, "Well, that means the autoshop can survive a little longer."
"It's not like you need it anymore. You're earning six figures with the documentary royalties."
She grinned as I mentioned it and said coyly, "I still need it."
"You love bossing people around, huh?" I teased.
She giggled slightly. Jackie narrowed her eyes at us and said, "Hey. I'm buying this."
Megan's face dropped immediately as she heard Jackie's voice. "It's you again."
While the two girls were being catty, I checked out the cheesecake stall.
"That's sold out too."
I had ordered 300 Japanese cheesecakes, and I cut each into four, selling every piece for five dollars.
Since I got the cakes for $2.10 apiece and sold a whole cake for $20, the margin was pretty nice even after paying the stall employee there.
Cheesetarts, madeleines, and a lot of other pastries were sold at the store too.
The instant noodle stalls were sold out. The international candies were sold out too.
"It's only three… This is troubling," I grumbled. "I need to have enough food for tonight, though."
My walkie‑talkie crackled again as I thought about it.
"Mr. Hyde, there's a person from Channel 5 News here. They want to interview you," Jeff said carefully.
"Oh. I'm going to the race. They can come there if they want."
I didn't really mind the public interview. Part of me was already expecting it.
Jackie grumbled and said, "Really? You're going away again?"
"Hey, I'm pretty busy here. Why don't you go meet up with Forman and Donna?"
"Why can't I join the interview?" Jackie complained.
"Because they weren't asking for you."
"I don't care. I'm going with you!"
She locked her hands with me, adamant about her inclusion in the interview.
"Fine," I sighed.
The station also interviewed the locals, not just the organizers. This is good. If I mention we're going to do this again next month, the attendance will be just as high.
The camera light flickered on as the local news crew adjusted themselves near the auto show entrance. Behind me, the festival grounds buzzed with life. Kids waved at the camera, along with a few teens and a couple adults.
Music echoed from the distant stage while crowds moved between food stalls, and the revving of classic Mustangs flooded the footage.
The beautiful reporter smiled professionally and greeted me before the interview started.
"You must be Mr. Steven Hyde. I love your TV show and the documentary."
With blonde hair, a mole on her upper lip, and prominent red lipstick, she checked me out with her blue eyes.
"I'm Loni Anderson, Metro 5 News."
"Oh, I thought you were from Channel 5," I said, confused.
"Didn't you hear? Channel 5 was bought by NBC. We're now an NBC affiliate in the region," she explained happily.
I nodded slightly and said, "Congrats. Now the channel has truly broken free from regional broadcasting."
"Thank you!" She gasped, feeling touched by my words.
Jackie rolled her eyes and said, "Enough flirting. Why don't you do the interview already?"
Loni narrowed her eyes at Jackie and said, "We just want to interview him, if that's fine?"
"Um…" Jackie was quite embarrassed.
I chuckled and said, "She can stand by my side–"
"No, Steven. I'm just going to watch it with— Oh, there's Donna. I'm going to go watch it with her." Jackie hurried away.
Loni bit her lower lip and giggled.
"Should we start now?" she asked.
"Sure." I shrugged and opened ChatGPT on my browser.
"Hi, I'm Loni Anderson from Metro 5 News."
She stepped slightly to the side as the camera panned toward the festival behind her.
"What started as a local auto show has quickly turned into one of the biggest events in the region. Thousands of visitors from across Wisconsin arrived in Point Place today for the first annual Auto Festival."
The cameraman slowly zoomed toward the rows of cars and packed walkways.
She sounded excited as she said, "The festival features live music, food vendors, street races, and one of the largest Mustang showcases in the Midwest."
A loud cheer erupted nearby as another car accelerated down the street.
"And surprisingly, much of this event was organized by local filmmaker, TV host, and businessman Steven Hyde."
She turned toward me with a practiced smile.
"So, Steven Hyde. A lot of people around Wisconsin are seeing this festival and wondering the same thing."
She gestured toward the crowd.
"Why did you pick Point Place for the festival?"
I smiled and feigned confusion. "Because I live here?"
A few nearby people laughed softly. Loni hesitated before adding, "This town's been struggling economically for years. Some people might say spending this much money on concerts and festivals sounds… risky."
"Everything's risky," I replied immediately, but my face was calm. "Factories are risky too. Doing nothing's risky. At least this gives people something."
"That's a pretty big 'something,'" she said as the camera panned toward the massive stage in the distance. "How many people are you expecting tonight?"
"About fifteen thousand."
Her eyebrows jumped. "Fifteen thousand?"
She laughed slightly before continuing. "But seriously, Steven. What made you think a festival like this could help a small town?"
I pointed toward the food stalls.
"You see all those vendors? They buy supplies locally. The workers here spend money at diners, gas stations, and stores. The visitors rent motel rooms. The money keeps moving around instead of leaving town."
"So what does that do?" she asked curiously.
I explained, "Most dying towns have holes in the bucket. Money comes in, then immediately leaves. Big stores, outside companies, commuting out of town. Nothing stays here."
I pointed toward the crowd walking through the festival.
"But if local people work local jobs and spend money locally, it keeps circulating. That's how small towns used to survive before everything centralized."
The reporter blinked, clearly not expecting that answer.
"That's a surprisingly thoughtful answer."
"I read books," I replied dryly.
A few nearby people laughed again.
The reporter smiled wider. "There are people saying you're acting more like a mayor than a filmmaker these days."
"God, no," I immediately said. "I sleep way too much for politics."
The crew laughed.
"But you are investing heavily in the town," she pressed on.
"Yeah, because I live here," I replied simply. "People act like small towns are supposed to die automatically. I think that's stupid."
The reporter tilted her head. "You really think a festival can change things?"
"Not alone," I admitted. "But people need reasons to go outside again. To meet people. To spend money. To actually feel like there's a future here."
"You can't rebuild a town if everybody's depressed. People need something to be proud of again."
"You say that, but aren't you making money from this event?" she followed up quickly.
I raised an eyebrow. "I'm not trying to make money with this festival. In fact, I'm barely breaking even. I just want the townspeople to have something they can be proud of. And if I can do that with this festival, then I don't mind taking some risks myself."
Loni nodded in satisfaction and ended the segment. "That's all from Steven Hyde, organizer of the Point Place Auto Festival. Reporting from Point Place, Wisconsin, I'm Loni Anderson. Back to you, Ron."
The cameraman lowered the camera.
"Oh, is this live?" I asked.
"No." Loni shook her head. "But I already know Ron Burgundy will be the anchor today."
I nodded and waved her off, "Okay then. Enjoy the festival."
"Wait, Mr. Hyde. I want to apologize for the sudden questions—if I made you uncomfortable or anything."
I shrugged and said, "Nah. I'm fine with it. Do what you have to do."
She held my arm before I could leave. "Then, since I have your permission, can I take a few shots of the festival from the stage?"
"Sure." I pulled out my walkie‑talkie and called Leslie. After explaining the situation, I told the TV crew to go wait by the stage. Leslie would bring them onstage later.
"You know, you react much better than the other guy we interviewed," Loni told me.
"The other guy? A carnival crowd?" I asked, confused.
"No, the town councilman who called us here. Mr. Burkhart, do you know him? He got all sweaty when I pressed him about what kind of help he actually did here." Loni laughed.
While I was talking with Loni, Chad stared intently at me from afar with hatred in his eyes and clenched his fist again.
…
"Oh my god, we finally get to meet the Blue Öyster Cult guys," Donna was excited as I brought some of my friends backstage.
"Just for five minutes, alright? The concert is going to start soon, so I don't want to bother these guys for long," I reminded everyone.
First up, we met the Van Halen band members. The lead singer, David Lee Roth, checked out Donna and Jackie as he signed their albums.
"Both of you girls are really fine~" He flirted with them.
"Oh. Thank you," Jackie said and grabbed my arm. "But we're taken."
"Yeah!" Eric held Donna's arm and said, "So just calm down there."
David just laughed and left with two girls wearing skimpy outfits.
"They already have a lot of groupies. They still want more." Eric grimaced and said, "I'm so jealous."
"You're what?" Donna turned to him angrily.
"Noth—Nothing. Pfft—That's not … my entire life dream or whatever." He pretended to be indifferent, but Donna was still suspicious.
"Let's go meet the headliner."
The band's agent smiled as he saw me. "Mr. Hyde. It's nice to finally meet you." He shook my hand excitedly.
I smiled and said, "I won't take too much of your time."
"Oh no, no. Take as much time as you want." He laughed and opened the door.
Eric instantly closed Donna's eyes as he saw what was inside. But he was too late, and the girl was already traumatized. I closed Jackie's eyes with my hand, even quicker than Eric.
"What—What is it?" Jackie asked, flabbergasted.
The agent quickly closed the door again. He cleared his throat and said, "Maybe give them five minutes?"
"What—What are they doing?" Jackie asked me with disbelief.
"The thing rock stars do with their groupies. I'm not going to explain it further," I said, shuddering slightly.
The band members laughed awkwardly, and they signed our records a few minutes later.
"In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have given them the chocolates."
I had prepared a welcome bag for the artists as they arrived in Wisconsin. It had the aphrodisiac chocolate inside, along with cigars, whiskeys, and even some shirts.
"Why are they—Like…" Donna tried to figure it out with her hands.
"I think that's called the Eiffel Tower," I told her.
"What?" Donna was confused, and Eric caught it instantly. "Oh, because two of them were standing—"
"Eric! Shut up!" Donna stopped him immediately.
"What's the Eiffel Tower!?" Jackie was annoyed. "Include me in this!"
"Believe me, Jackie, this is one instance where you do not want to be included!" Donna said with a pale face.
"Poor girl. She's traumatized," I said pitifully.
"Shut up, HYDE!"
…
Finally, the concert started.
I walked onto the stage, holding a microphone as fifteen thousand people stared toward the massive wall of lights and speakers towering behind me.
"Point Place!" I shouted into the microphone.
The crowd exploded immediately.
I grinned despite myself as thousands of hands shot upward.
" You guys having a good time today?" I asked, cupping my left ear.
Another deafening roar answered me.
Behind me, the stage crew hurried around instruments worth more than some houses in town. The starter band—Journey's lead vocalist—gave me a thumbs‑up.
"Well, I know you're not here for me. Let's stop wasting time. Mind your actions and your surroundings. Be safe and enjoy the concert. Please welcome… Journey!"
The crowd erupted in cheers. The stage lights instantly dimmed before exploding into streaks of blue and white as the opening notes rang across the grounds.
The stage lights followed the band members—still clear even though the sun hadn't gone down yet. The giant speaker towers thundered with unbelievable clarity, causing people near the front barricade to scream in shock.
Even the older concertgoers looked stunned by the sound quality.
"This is worth my investment." I smiled in satisfaction as I looked at the speakers.
Journey walked onto the stage. The audience sang almost immediately as the guitars echoed through the warm summer evening. Journey sang the song "Spacemen."
I went to my friends, who were standing at the forefront of the crowd. The entire field moved together, swaying to the song.
"Hyde, you're not going back up there?" Eric asked with confusion.
"No. I'm going to let Leslie do it." I smiled and said, "I just want to enjoy the concert."
"Thank goodness." Jackie hugged my arm tightly. "I thought I'd have to watch the show by myself."
Donna threw her hands up and said, "Jackie. We are all here."
Not long after Journey finished, the atmosphere changed completely.
Van Halen practically stormed the stage.
The lights flashed violently as Eddie's guitar screamed through the speakers. The energy instantly became chaotic.
Even backstage crew members stopped working to watch.
Girls screamed themselves hoarse every time David Lee Roth jumped across the stage like a man possessed.
"DAVID!" Laurie shouted and threw her bra onstage.
"Ew." I shuddered.
The festival no longer felt like a local event. It felt enormous. Then came Blue Öyster Cult.
"Finally, the headliners," I smirked.
The stage darkened almost completely except for deep blue floodlights cutting through the haze. The sun had gone down by now.
"Thank you so much to Mr. Steven Hyde for inviting us to the festival. It's honestly the best thing I've experienced this year," the lead vocalist said with a chuckle.
"So for that, we will sing an extra song for today's performance."
The crowd cheered instantly.
They first played "Don't Fear the Reaper."
The instruments sounded incredible through the new speakers.
"You know, compared to the last time we went to a concert, the acoustics here are amazing," Donna muttered.
"Yeah, I can feel the bass in my chest." Fez added, holding his chest. "Be still, my dancing heart. It's not time yet," he whispered.
"♫♪ All our times have come ♫♪"
"♫♪ Here, but now they're gone ♫♪"
"♫♪ Seasons don't fear the Reaper ♫♪"
"♫♪ Nor do the wind, the sun, or the rain ♫♪"
Thousands of cigarette lighters flickered across the crowd like stars as the guitars echoed over the festival grounds. The music blended with the smoke machines and cool night air until the entire place felt dreamlike.
People swayed together silently.
"Ah. This is nice," Jackie said, holding a lighter. She turned to me and gave me a cute look.
"Damn it," I cursed. "Don't give me those eyes."
"What eyes?" She pretended not to know what she was doing.
"You know, the fuck‑me eyes."
"Ew." She shuddered. "Don't be so crass. Say it's… a sexy look instead."
"Fine. That, then," I grimaced.
She laughed and pulled me close before kissing me.
Leslie commanded the stage after the headliner's performance was over.
"Finally, a special treat for tonight. She's a Point Place native, someone who made it big yet didn't forget her hometown. Please welcome, Miss Gloria Gaynor!"
I heard some boos, but they were mostly drowned out by the cheers.
"You know, this is what happens when you try to mix genres," Donna told me. "Rock and disco don't get along."
"It's fine. If they don't like it, they can leave early," I shrugged.
My words became prophecy as around two hundred people left when Gloria took the stage.
"♫♪ At first I was afraid, I was petrified! Thinking I could live without you by my side ♫♪"
Even some of the rock fans who'd been booing a minute ago stayed rooted exactly where they were, because Gloria Gaynor's voice sounded unbelievable through the massive speaker towers.
"♫♪ And after spending nights thinking how you did me wrong ♫♪"
"Finally. I can let it all out!" Fez began dancing disco style as he heard the song.
♫♪ I grew strooooong! And I learned how to get along!! ♫♪
♫♪ Now you're back! From outer space! ♫♪
♫♪ And I find you here with that sad look upon your face! ♫♪
I bobbed my head to the music. Eric saw it and laughed, "Hyde, you're dancing. You're basically a disco‑er now."
"It's fine since it's Miss Gaynor," I said casually and kept bobbing my head. Kelso and Donna also joined in.
"Yeah, this is fine," Kelso said, also dancing.
Donna laughed and said, "She has a really strong voice. Her song makes me feel empower—"
"Hush, Donna. Don't bring your feminist crap over here," Jackie interjected quickly.
♫♪ I should've changed that stupid lock! Or made you leave your key! ♫♪
♫♪ If I'd've known for a second you'd be back to bother me! ♫♪
♫♪ Go on, go, walk out the door! Turn around now! ♫♪
We danced slightly. Suddenly, the fireworks went off. The entire field was illuminated with pretty light. Despite that, the vocals weren't drowned out by the explosions.
♫♪ You're not welcome anymore! ♫♪
♫♪ You're the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye! Think I'd crumble?! ♫♪
Miss Gaynor saw it and smiled in satisfaction, feeling extremely touched. She gave it her absolute best.
♫♪ You think I'd lay down and die?! ♫♪
♫♪ No, not I, I will surviveEEEE! ♫♪
The song resonated greatly with me. Even though it was disco music.
'Now that I think about it, I don't really remember where all of the disco hatred started.'
It was as if it was my default setting.
'Maybe a character setting? But why?'
It was just a fleeting thought since I was enjoying the concert right now. Jackie wrapped her arms around me. I held her waist and danced with her.
I sighed and said, "Why is it you? I'd much rather dance with any other girls."
"Too bad! You're stuck with me!" She replied, fully offended by my words. She grabbed my arm and forced me to touch her all over.
I shuddered and pulled my hand back, but she insisted on it.
(Read up to chapter 170 on my patreon.
Patreon.com/relifewithkarmicgacha )