Debut or Die

In front of the darkened concert hall, a dark video appeared on a huge electronic display board along with the sound of cutting through the wind.

It was a pine forest in the middle of the night.

[…]

With an ink-like brushstrokes effect, someone stepped out from the pine trees.

It was Ryu Chungwoo wearing a cheollik.

It was as if the composition was connected to the last scene of the ‘Present’ music video.

Six people appeared together behind him.

Then the sound of drums and strong kkwaenggwari began to ring.

It was the accompaniment of ‘Present’.

Woooow-!

Amid the echoes of the cheers of 20,000 people who filled the dome, the actual members appeared in the concert hall under the electric signboard before the intro was over.

And as soon as they got in formation, intense rap verses and choreography broke in.

– So that you can’t escape even if you struggle

You come today, you go

Even as the fans screamed, short thoughts quickly passed through their heads.

‘Hitting with Present first??’

‘I thought they would do it at the end after the solo songs!’

Just like the first concert, the audience was very excited about the bold set composition list.

Even the staff, who had been busy backstage, were nervous at the thought of the concert finally starting, and at the same time, the mood was somewhat heightened by the spread of the atmosphere of the venue.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

‘What’s with the sound?’

The one-day part-timer, who was assigned to the backstage aisle control task, frowned as they heard people shouting.

The sound of the sound speakers echoed through the voices of the audience and staff inside, making their ears hurt.

‘It’s so loud.’

Some part of the members’ faces was occasionally visible on the half-hidden electronic signboard.

“Hey, I can see some of it from here, too!”

“Oh, so handsome.”

They didn’t want to be amused or impressed like other thoughtless part-timers.

‘All the celebrities will be treated at the hospital. How much money will they spend?’

The part-timer couldn’t see the stage well because of the angle, but they must be doing something obvious like idol choreography.

However, despite all the noise, the part-timer could clearly hear Testar’s voice in the aisle.

‘It must be pre-recorded.’

The part-timer thought as cynically as possible and touched their smartphone.

Real-time comment broadcasts now…

“Hey, don’t look at your smartphone.”

“…”

Acting like that even though they were both part-timers, screw them.

The part-timer muttered and put back their smartphone.

‘I’ll post it after I finish watching it in a little while.’

Thinking of posting it with a verification attached, the part-timer frowned in the aisle.

And regardless of what the one-day part-timer was thinking, the performance was going crazy on and off the stage.

“VCR 120 seconds!”

“Next outfit, hurry up!”

As soon as ‘Present’ was over, what followed was part of the collaboration song from the game <127 Section> and the title song at the time, ‘Better me’, but it was a remix version, not the original song.

In order to continue the flow of ‘Present’, it was arranged into a traditional instrument and most of the chorus was changed to Korean.

– At this moment

You can’t let me go

A high-pitched chorus pierced like an awl between the dancers and the gigantic stage set that looked like the jaws of a beast.

And a very agile dance break was unfolded using white strings similar to sangmo^[1]Sangmo is a Korean folk arts hat. A kind of a hat with feathers or paper streamers called pi-ji, made of Korean paper attached to the top which is worn when dancing and moving the head around during a pungmul performance. Sumber: Wiki.pungmulnori^[2]Pungmulnori/Pungmul is a Korean folk music tradition that includes drumming, dancing, and singing. .

– Better me

The performance of the three songs poured into the sky was finished with countless dancers flying strings into the sky.

It was a concert-worthy splendid production.

Aaaaaa-!!

With the lightsticks shaking like crazy and flashing in different colors through the central control, the VCR entered again.

And the members and dancers came pouring into the aisle.

“Outfit!”

“Ahyeon-ssi, here!”

“Yes…!”

Seon Ahyeon moved quickly among the members who were gasping for breaths.

Because the first solo performance immediately followed.

“Ahyeon, gasp, you have good stamina.”

“Huff, his lung capacity, as expected, he’s really a dance major…”

And it was time for the other members to take a breather while reflecting on their own solo songs.

“Moondae?”

“Moondae-ssi, are you okay?”

“…Huff, yes.”

Park Moondae sighed as he leaned back in the hallway.

“Do you need a hot pack?”

“It’s fine.”

Park Moondae answered firmly and wiped off his sweat.

‘It’s more worthwhile than I thought.’

His ribs were all recovered a few days ago. However, he did hear something like, ‘Don’t overdo it’.

‘That’s what the hospital always says.’

Who’s gonna tell him how to live his life now that he’s all better? Park Moondae rationalized it sullenly and raised his hand to where his lung was supposed to be.

‘The wrist… It’s still a bit painful.’

But it would be fine.

‘Because it’s already well sort-out.’

Park Moondae was confident.

From above, he finally heard the sound of Seon Ahyeon performing on stage.

– A swaying conclusion

Among those voices

I can hear you breathing.

Uaaaaaaaa!!

“Everyone loves it~”

“…I guess so.”

Park Moondae also knew.

The stage of Seon Ahyeon, who moved while splashing water droplets on the surface of the water, was sure to be splendid.

“Wow! I’m coming!”

“Yes, yes! Move!”

Cha Eugene, who would perform next, ran excitedly, hitting the staff’s back.

‘He changed his clothes quickly.’

It proceeded smoothly.

The stages of the solo songs that came in the order in the music video teaser didn’t give a surprising impression, but they created a structure.

It meant there would be a lingering aftertaste when the solo stage was finally over.

“After Cha Eugene, it’s me…”

“You’ll do well. Don’t worry, Sejin.”

Park Moondae heard Bae Sejin’s voice and Ryu Chungwoo’s encouragement from next to him.

‘The stage equipment has been cleverly configured, so there is no problem over there either.’

Bae Sejin’s stage featured a rotating stage device and several magical elements. It was probably the most expensive device on today’s concert stages.

Therefore, Park Moondae guessed that he would be able to hold up even if he came out after Cha Eugene.

‘Because the audience will be amazed.’

On the contrary, If they had put another guy in, that person might have suffered from a situation where his stage capabilities were compared.

Park Moondae quietly added.

“That’s right, hyung. It’s great, don’t worry.”

“…Ah, okay.”

“Ah~ So heartwarming!”

Lee Sejin smiled. Beyond that, a camera for behind-the-scenes content could be seen following them.

‘…I shouldn’t throw up no matter what.’

It wouldn’t be aired, but it would be quite embarrassing if the camera caught that.

Park Moondae brushed it aside and got up, moving to prepare for his stage.

His solo song stage came out at 5th turn. He had plenty of time.

* * *

‘It’s coming.’

Kim Raebin performed a rhythmical yet slightly cute solo song with unbalanced charm under the stage lights that glowed with glow-in-the-dark lights.

At that moment, in the midst of ripping cheers, this was the thought that the homma had.

‘It’s Park Moondae’s turn now.’

She took good pictures of Kim Raebin as practice, so her hands were more energized.

‘Everyone’s performance is great.’

From Seon Ahyeon to Kim Raebin and even Bae Sejin’s stage, it was fun.

‘Moondae, you’ll tear it all apart with just your singing skills…!’

Conscious of Park Moondae’s and Keun Sejin’s twin homma sitting three spaces away from her, the homma held up the camera solemnly.

Just in time, she saw someone’s camera being caught by a security guard in the standing seat in front of her.

It was a person who tried to put a white lens on the shoulder of the person in front of them on the previous stage.

‘Amateur.’

The homma thought reflexively, seeing as that person couldn’t play innocent even if they got caught.

At that sight, some people were judgmental.

‘It’s really funny.’

One of them was the part-timer standing in the backstage aisle.

The part-timer clicked their tongue when they saw the audience getting their camera taken away by a security guard.

‘Why are you taking pictures like that? Don’t you feel embarrassed?’

A fangirl that couldn’t enjoy a show, the part-timer thought in a slightly condescending manner. They already had one certified comment.

– That fu*cker only took pictures. Just how boring is the concert?ㅋ

The part-timer, who grinned as they thought of it, shrugged their shoulders.

‘Since the concert started, this part-time job is easy.’

There were not many audiences trying to access the backstage aisle, so part-timers could easily fool around.

It was at that moment.

“The people in the back here!! Follow me!”

Staff came running from the inside and started calling part-timers.

It seemed something had spilled.

‘What is it now?’

The part-timer grumbled and followed the urging steps.

After that, the slow and beautiful VCR ended, and Park Moondae appeared on the stage.

Wooow-

In the static atmosphere of the stage, the cheers were quickly organized.

Under a ray of light on the dark stage, Park Moondae was sitting in a chair as a lot of people had expected.

However, as seen in the music video teaser, the colorful fabrics that wrapped around the abandoned house were stretched out from all directions on the stage, tying the chairs and Park Moondae.

And the costume was not a wedding outfit, but a light white stage costume.

On a quiet stage with no accompaniment.

Park Moondae started singing first.

– On the eve of April

I can’t even see the moon

You didn’t come

Love is rotting away

At the end of the first verse, when only the heavy voice resounded.

The sound of an instrument came in like a rush.

Whooo!

The moment the Korean musical instrument in the minor key subsided slightly, the next verse continued, and the color came into the light.

Red, blue, and flashing lights heightened the strange tension.

‘Gasp.’

The homma barely held on to the camera and heard Park Moondae’s voice.

‘He sings so damn well.’

She really had nothing to say other than this. The homma swallowed her saliva and captured Park Moondae’s image on camera.

‘I like the hair and makeup.’

And in her ears, she listened to the emotional high notes that run through the chorus as if sucking it.

– Still, I’ll wait

‘Gaaaah.’

At the end of the chorus, the homma’s heart was strangled by catharsis.

‘Just with your voice!’

It felt great.

But the moment he entered the second verse, things changed.

– After that time

The sun doesn’t rise

Along with the lyrics, Park Moondae’s hand was half-lifted in the air.

It looked as if the fabric wrapped around his arm was being pulled.

‘Huh?’

The moment she hurriedly tried to convince herself that the slightly bizarre movement must have been Park Moondae’s own movement, this time the other arm came up at a different angle.

– You didn’t come

Love is rotting away

And Park Moondae lifted his waist like that and went up into the air.

“…!!”

It was a movement that looked as though he was swimming in a space without gravity, guided by the fabric.

As he climbed onto the chair, lying down and stretching his body, Park Moondae continued the song.

“…Huh.”

The homma made a sound without even realizing it.

The audience everywhere also had similar faces as she was.

And this wasn’t just the audience.

The part-timer, who was cleaning up the collapsed luggage inside, also saw the scene that was broadcasted to the stage electronic display through the monitoring screen in the front.

“…Oh.”

The part-timer looked at the screen with their mouth wide open while carrying their luggage.

And they could understand why the captive audience was so eager to take pictures.

• 1. Sangmo is a Korean folk arts hat. A kind of a hat with feathers or paper streamers called pi-ji, made of Korean paper attached to the top which is worn when dancing and moving the head around during a pungmul performance. Sumber: Wiki.
• 2. Pungmulnori/Pungmul is a Korean folk music tradition that includes drumming, dancing, and singing.