43 - Reluctant Stars and Rehearsal Tactics
Suhyeon hurried toward the break room to catch Kevin. Through the full-length glass window, he spotted Kevin and Gyeongbin in one corner, each holding a canned drink in hand as they chatted. He carefully pushed open the glass door so as not to disturb anyone else and approached them quietly.
Kevin was laughing so hard his shoulders shook, but his eyes locked onto Suhyeon drawing near, and his face instantly stiffened. Sensing something off from Kevin's sudden change mid-conversation, Gyeongbin shot up from his seat without even looking back.
"Sit!" Suhyeon commanded in a low, firm voice, and Gyeongbin plopped back down.
Suhyeon sat in the seat next to Gyeongbin and fixed Kevin with a steady gaze. "You know why I'm here, right?"
At Suhyeon's question, Kevin tilted his head up to stare at the break room ceiling. "Fall's almost here—Chuseok's just a few days away—and yet there are still so many mosquitoes buzzing around."
"The summer drought ended with recent rains, creating more puddles and tripling the mosquito population. Cut the crap, Kevin. Be straight with me. Why won't you go on?"
"...Just 'cause."
"Just 'cause...? You did the featuring, so isn't it basic manners to at least show up for the first broadcast? I get you can't do every one, but tomorrow's the debut on TV airwaves for Moon and My Story. You can manage that much, right?"
Just then, Gyeongbin, who had been fidgeting on his butt, piped up. "Hyungs, looks like you two have some important talk going on. Should I step out...?"
"Shut up and sit still."
"Got it."
"Tell me honestly why you don't want to perform. Then I can help or fix the problem."
Kevin pondered for a moment before speaking. "I think I know why Haiyu sunbae doesn't want to go on air... She lacks confidence. During that recording session, she was so emotionally charged and immersed in the song, but now, facing a live broadcast where she has to replicate it exactly? She probably doesn't trust herself to pull it off. Honestly, I'm the same. I don't have faith I can match that recording vibe again."
"Hmm. If it's that tough, couldn't we just play the AR track?"
"Might as well tell people to download the audio file then. No need to force a live stage."
"Sigh. I get it. How can I help?"
As if he'd been waiting for those words, Kevin shot back quickly. "You come on stage with us!"
Catching him off guard, Suhyeon widened his eyes. "Huh? Me too? What am I supposed to do up there? I didn't sing or do narration."
"That's not for me to say. But it'd be great if you joined us on stage. Dance, conduct, whatever... If you do, I'll change my mind and go on. I bet Haiyu sunbae would too."
What the...? Look at this guy.
Suhyeon felt an odd disconnect in Kevin's words and paused to think. When did Kevin get so articulate? He perked up after that recording, sure, but not this much... And he's so confident Haiyu would join if I do? Means they coordinated beforehand... So then...
Finishing his thoughts, Suhyeon suddenly draped an arm over Gyeongbin's shoulder, who was sitting beside him. "Gyeongbin-ah..."
Startled by the gesture and words, Gyeongbin replied, "Y-Yeah, hyung."
With senses sharpened since achieving Microcosmic Orbit, Suhyeon scrutinized Gyeongbin's body. He startles a bit, but his heartbeat's steady. No temperature shift. As expected, it's not this guy... Gyeongbin's not sharp enough for a scheme like this. Which leaves...
"Where's Robin right now?"
"Robin hyung?"
"Yeah. He was probably at the company earlier..."
"Oh, he was here an hour ago. Said he had a shoot and headed out to the provinces."
"Provinces?"
"Yeah. Won't be back till tomorrow evening. Oh, right—hyung asked me to pass something on if I saw you."
"What?"
"'I'm sorry.' He said you'd get it."
Suhyeon burst into loud, hearty laughter, then smirked bitterly. "I got played. Robin totally got me this time."
Thirty minutes later, Suhyeon was in the recording studio discussing tomorrow's performance with Kevin and Haiyu.
"Since our stage isn't a standard music show setup, we'll need to rearrange. Sound tweaks for the venue, and we have to consider the audience's age too..."
Haiyu nodded. "Right. It's an outdoor special stage in Pyeongchang for the Winter Olympics commemoration. Open-air, so lots of local elders and families with kids will show."
"So how do we rearrange?" Kevin asked.
Suhyeon grinned. "We balance visuals and audio to keep the crowd hooked."
Haiyu jumped in. "Visuals to grab attention? Should I wear a miniskirt? And audio—what, add a three-octave high note not in the original?"
"Nah, that'd backfire. Miniskirt with elders around? You'd get flak. And three-octaves don't fit this song."
Kevin pressed. "So what's the plan?"
"I've got one—hear me out. For the intro of Moon and My Story..."
After Suhyeon finished explaining, Haiyu clapped her hands with a smack, voice full of awe. "Genius! Robin was spot on—get Suhyeon on stage, and he'll handle it perfectly. Amazing."
Kevin chimed in. "Yeah. Never thought of staging it like that... Good thing I listened to Robin. You could go pro as a producer."
Amid their praise, Suhyeon thought to himself, Robin, just you wait. I'll show you how petty I can be...
The next day around lunchtime, the group arrived at the Pyeongchang special stage. They rehearsed in performance order, checking sound and blocking. As the composer and producer of his first track's live debut, Suhyeon paced between stage and seats, constantly radioing the sound director for tweaks.
With eager help from the veteran sound director—whose white hair peeked through and was top-three in the country—Suhyeon wrapped rehearsal satisfied. He personally thanked the director before heading back to the waiting room.
As Suhyeon thanked Park Hyung-seok and left, assistant sound director Jo Kyung-min, standing nearby, asked puzzled, "Director Park, you're treating him way different than usual. You ignore idol complaints, but you follow every word from that kid Suhyeon?"
Park chuckled. "Jealous I'm giving him special treatment? Remember his first comment?"
"Something about howling?"
"Yeah. Idols usually just whine about not hearing their MR in the in-ears. But he nitpicked howling, echo... Even after we'd pre-checked everything."
"Some others do that too."
"Sure. I fake tweaks and say check again—they always claim it's better. Sound clueless but cocky. But him? Different."
"How?"
"Did the fake-out on him too. He called it immediately—same as before, adjust again. Made me think, Huh, this kid... Then..."
"Then?"
"He didn't just check his spot—went to the seats, pinpointed every flaw precisely. And when we ran AR? Next level. 'Lower volume 5s at 11s, 4s at 23s, 30s at 1:12. Raise one step from 2:23 to end.'"
"He said that?"
"Yeah. Ears sharper than most engineers. Deep song knowledge, times it to the second in his head. Prodigy."
Jo gasped in admiration at Park Hyung-seok's lavish praise—the gruff pro revered as a sound artisan.
"Wow..."
"Treat skill with respect. That's the pro world. He could quit singing, enter this field, and dominate. Can't wait for his stage today—got my heart racing. Finally, someone who gets music."
The SBC special stage for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics commemoration finally began.
As singers' live performances rolled on, TV viewers' excitement built. No promo, just word-of-mouth after two days, and Moon and My Story topped every domestic chart. News of its world premiere spread like wildfire on SNS.
In the waiting room, Suhyeon smiled at the tense group awaiting their turn. "Focus is good, but don't overdo the nerves. We're singing to comfort and encourage people—if we're shaking like leaves, what then? Everyone, relax~ relax~."
"Easy for you to say... Hands won't stop trembling."
"Yeah, Suhyeon. Feels worse than my debut. Sigh."
As their stage neared, the sound team buzzed. Park Hyung-seok's gruff voice crackled over the radio.
"Sound team! Eyes sharp! If any idol whines post-stage about crap sound, you're all dead to me. Nail the settings like rehearsal while MC chats. Got it?"
- Yes, understood.
- Focused.
- Yes, director. Ready.
- Mics are good.
Jo Seo-hyun, on a convenience store break with no customers, watched the SBC stage on her phone. The MC announced the next act: Haiyu's Moon and My Story.
Heart pounding, she stared at the screen—and muttered unconsciously.
"Huh? What's that?"