Moon and My Story Premiere
With the MC's introduction, Haiyu took center stage, flanked by Suhyeon and Kevin on either side, each holding a long object in hand as they stepped out.
Suhyeon and Kevin wore sleek black suits evoking the deep, dark night sky, layered over black shirts. In their hands were their instruments: a bow for Suhyeon and drumsticks for Kevin.
Haiyu, shining like the moon high in the night sky, donned a radiant pure white dress, white socks, and loafers, her hands empty.
The trio walked to the front of the stage, joined hands, and bowed deeply to the audience.
After greeting the crowd, they headed to their pre-set chairs. Taking Haiyu's seat—where a handheld mic rested neatly—as the center point, Kevin's chair was about a meter to the right, with a 14-inch snare drum set up in front. A meter to the left, Suhyeon's chair had a haegeum waiting.
Each spot had a standing mic from rehearsal, and pin mics were attached to the instruments.
As the three settled in, Park Hyung-seok, the sound director, spoke in a low voice over his wireless mic.
"MR ready."
Suhyeon glanced at the other two in turn. Kevin and Haiyu met his eyes and gave slight nods. Confirming their readiness, Suhyeon nodded firmly.
"MR start!"
A lonely string melody and faint, steady drum rhythm began to fill the stage and audience area.
The late summer deep-night intro, somehow moistening hearts, drew the crowd's attention bit by bit.
"Count 7, 8, 9, 10. MR down... Snare mic high!"
The low thoom-thoom of the bass and Kevin's dong-dorong, dong-dorong on the snare overlapped, reaching the audience. The heart-stirring sounds sharpened their ears.
"Count 20, 21, 22. MR down again... Haegeum mic high!"
As ears tuned to the intro, a mournful haegeum pierced through. The wailing kee-ying, kee-yee-ying blended into the prelude, like a sorrowful cry.
"MR up again... Hold this state till one minute."
As the audience leaned into the music, Haiyu finally began to sing. Her moist, emotive voice gently tapped emotions without force, calm and steady.
"Late at night, I quietly stepped out the door.
Wandered alone across empty fields.
Like a carefree child without worries for tomorrow~
Like a naive girl unburdened by the future~
Here and there~ I ran about.
Suddenly~ I looked up at the night sky.
The moon up high smiled down at me.
I waved hello, and the moon spoke to me.
........"
Her song flowed like reading a childhood diary, captivating the audience—save for a few playful kids—everyone perked up their ears.
As hearts softened with sentiment, Park Hyung-seok murmured into his wireless mic.
"Sound team. Good. Everyone's nailing it. Stay focused... Count one minute 7, 8. MR down. 10, 11. Suhyeon mic high!"
As the first verse neared its end, the haegeum faded, giving way to Suhyeon's plain, humming ahhh~.
"3, 4. Snare mic high!"
Kevin's snare, blending into the hum, grew louder and faster. Doong-doong, doo-goon-doong-doong, doong-doong, doo-goon-doong-doong—urgent beats rang out for seconds, then abruptly cut.
The MR shrank to near-inaudibility. Only Suhyeon's soft ahh~ hummed through the hall.
Then Haiyu and Kevin's narration began. As tales of wounded pasts and overwhelming presents unfolded, many in the crowd clasped hands in prayer-like trance, listening.
The narration raced toward its close.
"MR up gradually over five seconds. Three, two, one. Slowly."
MR swelled softly, the hum faded. Mournful haegeum wept again.
Kevin's deep voice boomed powerfully, Haiyu's soared high.
"[You can do Everything, You can be Everything.]"
“You can do anything you set your mind to, and become whoever you want to be.”
"[We cheer you up, We love you forever.]"
“We’re always cheering you on, and we’ll love you forever.”
Never give up!!
“No matter what hardships you face, never give up!!”
At the climax's end, Kevin pounded the snare with vigor; Haiyu, eyes brimming, voice trembling, launched into the second verse.
Moments later, Suhyeon met their eyes, nodded, and played the haegeum more fiercely. Kevin matched with even stronger snare hits.
"Sound team! Last stretch. Focus up. Counter two minutes 18, 19, 20. All mics high! 22, 23. MR to max... Good. Let's go!"
Whirling haegeum, frenzied snare, and surging MR fused. Haiyu, emotions peaking, belted the finale far more powerfully and higher than the original.
“...Even today, I keep living while holding onto hope~ oh~ oh~”
As Haiyu finished, Suhyeon—powering the end—locked eyes with Kevin and nodded.
"Five, fade. Three, more fade. One, down!"
Suhyeon, Kevin's play, and MR cut off in unison. Moon and My Story's premiere stage concluded.
"OK. Sound team. Great job. Solid performance..."
Suhyeon and Kevin rose, approaching Haiyu. Amid wind-like silence—no sounds from audience or stage—teary-eyed Haiyu hugged them in thanks.
Hand-in-hand, they bowed to the front rows. Then applause trickled, erupting into thunderous waves as the crowd snapped to.
As they exited post-bows, standing fans' cheers mixed with sobs and claps.
"Whoa! Clap clap. Epic!"
"Encore! Encore! Come back!"
"Sob sob... Enco~o~ore."
Back in the waiting room amid MC thanks and next-team cues, the exhausted trio slumped into chairs.
Haiyu bowed her head, sobbing, then composed herself.
"Suhyeon, Kevin. Thank you so much today. My heart feels like it's bursting. Thank you for this stage... I'll treat—let's all go out for drinks."
Kevin eyed Suhyeon wearily.
"You up for drinks, Suhyeon? Got time?"
Suhyeon straightened.
"What time is it?"
"Around 8:30."
Haiyu asked urgently.
"Why? Got another schedule after?"
"No, but KBC's drama premiere I starred in is soon. Need to watch live and monitor."
"Then book a room with TV. We eat, monitor together. Last time you paid so I couldn't, but today I insist."
As they discussed, viewers who'd seen the performance on TV erupted.
Expectant fans, news watchers, channel surfers—all felt profound emotion and acted. SNS filled with Moon and My Story reactions; more flooded SBC phones and site with posts.
Many craved replays; most wanted live audio downloads.
Meanwhile, arriving at the restaurant by car, the group entered a TV-equipped room, ordering food for drama watch.
Then Jo Sil-jang's phone rang—two singer teams joining drinks.
He stepped out, returned excited, to Haiyu.
"SBC just called. Requests flooding for Moon and My Story audio upload. Huge hit. They're begging—prime contract terms for us. Want quick yes."
Haiyu calmly.
"Great. But why tell me?"
"Huh? What?"
"I can freely perform or concert Moon and My Story, but live audio release/remake rights are Suhyeon's. Contract gives him that adjacent right over royalties."
Suhyeon grinned at stiff Jo Sil-jang.
"Gotta eat too, Manager Jo. Composed and produced free—gotta snag that for meals."
Kevin cut in.
"Suhyeon. Drama's starting..."