"Is that... is that Lucas Lancaster?" Lucian blinked rapidly, frozen near the apartment entrance.
Mark rubbed his eyes and elbowed Sol. "Am I hallucinating or is Thailand's sun getting to me? That's the Lancaster, right?"
Lucas, still sitting in the living room, adjusted his collar awkwardly. Max's shoulders tensed. He hadn't expected his friends to arrive this quickly.
"Guys, chill," Max stepped in front of Lucas, hands raised. "I can explain."
Lucian crossed his arms with a teasing smirk. "Oh, this better be juicy. Spill."
Max forced a chuckle. "Okay, listen. Lucas is Amigas's cousin. You all know Astra's boyfriend."
Everyone nodded.
"He's in town for some work. Amigas asked me to let him stay with me for a while. That's all."
"Convenient," Tik raised an eyebrow.
Sol laughed. "Still feels like a fever dream. But alright. Welcome, Lucas."
Jack, who had been silent the entire time, finally looked Lucas in the eyes—but said nothing. Instead, he subtly texted Max: What is the Lancaster heir doing here? You okay?
Max replied quickly: I'm fine. Please trust me.
Jack didn't respond, but nodded once. That was enough.
Mark clapped his hands. "Okay, weirdness aside—we have a livestream to prepare for. Music room, everyone."
They moved toward the music room, tucked behind Max's hobby space. Max turned to Lucas, asking softly, "Wanna join us?"
Lucas shook his head with a small smile. "I've got some work to do. Go ahead."
"Alright," Max said. "Make yourself comfortable."
As Lucas disappeared into his room, the others set up in the band's secret practice studio. Tul arranged the camera and lights. Lucian grabbed the mic first, grinning like a seasoned performer.
"Alright, nightingales!" he greeted with charm. "Welcome back to Brokenchords – The Good Tone!"
Mark took over. "Tonight we've got news. One bad, one good. Bad news first—our beloved Maxine, our one and only girl member, has left the band."
Lucian dramatically sighed. "We know, we cried too."
"But," Mark continued, "here's the good news—her twin brother, Max, is here to continue the legacy."
The chat exploded with comments. Lucian gestured to Max, who stood with his guitar.
"Please show him the same love you gave Maxine," Lucian said, eyes soft.
"We'll start with a song," Mark said. "And after that, we'll answer a few questions."
Everyone took their spots. Mark held his violin, Sol set the rhythm, Tik adjusted his guitar, Jack's fingers floated over the piano, and Lucian stood center. Max stepped beside him, fingers trembling slightly on the guitar strings.
The song began—soft, melancholic, full of memories. Max and Lucian sang in harmony, their voices blending like they'd always belonged. The lyrics, written by Max, hinted at hidden pain, growth, and lost identity:
"I was someone once, now I'm someone new, In a world that won't wait for me to choose. But you stood there, quiet in the crowd, Like a ghost who understood me loud."
Lucas watched from the hallway, leaning against the wall just out of sight. His eyes remained on Max the whole time.
As the song faded out, applause erupted in the livestream chat.
Tul gave a thumbs-up behind the camera. "Ready for questions."
Lucian read the first few aloud: "'Why did Maxine leave?' 'What instrument does new Max play?' 'Is Max single?'"
Everyone laughed.
But then Mark froze, reading the next one: "'Are Max and Maxine really twins? They look... too similar.'"
The room went quiet. Even the guitar hum faded.
Max blinked. He hadn't expected that.
Lucian jumped in smoothly. "They are twins. Just... extremely close in looks. Genetics can be wild, right?"
Mark chuckled nervously. "Yeah. They're mirror twins or something."
Tul quickly moved on. "Next question!"
The stream ended on a high note with another song, but tension lingered.
Later, after packing up the gear, Jack approached Lucas near the hallway.
"Can I talk to you?" Jack asked.
Lucas nodded. They stood near the balcony, just out of earshot.
Jack's voice was calm but serious. "I don't know why you're here. But if you hurt Max—even a little—there won't be a second chance."
Lucas looked him in the eye. "Understood. You really care for him."
Jack looked other side. "It's just that he had faced alot? I don't want him to get hurt?"
Lucas smiled a little. "Trust me."
Jack gave a single nod and walked away.
Max found Lucas a few minutes later. "Thanks for not freaking out."
Lucas smiled. "You're full of surprises, Max."
Max laughed. " You'll get used to it. "
As they walked back inside, Lucas's eyes drifted to a painting again—the one of the female Max playing guitar.
"I feel like I've met that girl before…" he thought.
To be continued...