Live Tour: "...Is This Something We Should Be Hearing?"
"…Is this something we should even be hearing?"
The first words came from Yoo Seoha. Her tone carried a faint trace of fear, like she'd poked a dragon's reverse scale. He chuckled softly.
It had been broadcast on TV from the start—what was this about "something we should be hearing"? All he'd wanted was to avoid this awkwardness, watching something like this together. That's why he hadn't wanted to air today's episode.
"If it was something that shouldn't have aired, Mom wouldn't have done the interview, and I wouldn't have talked about it. My story's coming up soon anyway."
"Uh…"
On the TV, Lee Hyein's story continued. He vaguely remembered that part too.
The documentary rolled on from there. The focus shifted from Lee Hyein to Ha Suyeon.
On screen, with reenactment actors, someone smoked, drank, and committed petty crimes. All things she had done.
Those memories resurfaced. Emotions? Hard to say now—he couldn't really summon them anymore. But back then, that Ha Suyeon had been boiling with rage.
Dead dad. Mom off handling business instead of caring for her. Dad's relatives harassing her at every turn. School kids whispering behind her back. Perfect setup to lose her mind. And she had, which was why she'd done all those things.
The story drifted for a bit. The doc added explanations and some "touching" directing. He tilted his head slightly and glanced at Hyein. Her eyes were glistening—planning to cry in front of the kids?
"Uh… I don't even know what to say…"
"Then don't say anything. Just keep watching. Looks like it'll cover up to the next part."
He stopped Choi Iseo from blurting something out. Once they saw that story, the follow-up was bound to air too.
A tale shrouded in rumors but unknown to all. Unraveled from Suyeon's own mouth, it was pure drama. Dead father too soon. Mom abandoning home for the world outside. The twisted kid stumbles into a mentor who teaches her guitar by chance.
Keeps almost calling him 'old geezer'… Even though they didn't meet long, they must've been really close. That's what Seoha thought. The internet seemed to agree. Group Sound fans on SNS were sobbing enough to form the Han River, and even the notoriously negative "Group Sound Minor Gallery" folks were dead silent this time.
She didn't remember much when she woke up. Previous her and current her didn't even feel like the same person. Only guitar and the teacher stuck in memory. But when she went looking, the teacher had been dead for ages.
"Get off me already."
After the doc ended. He tried shoving Choi Iseo away a few times—she wouldn't budge—but gave up and checked his phone instead.
Friends, acquaintances, industry folks… KakaoTalks pouring in from tons of people checking on him. Even as he replied, more kept coming.
"Uwaaaah… huhuhu… sob…"
"Dude, this is ridiculous. I'm the one involved and I'm fine—why're you crying?"
"Fair point."
"Plus, you're soaking my clothes with your tears. Super gross. Back off."
He finally pried Iseo off and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. Mom stared at him with teary eyes. "We'll talk after they leave," he said, then plopped back on the sofa.
Iseo tried clinging again.
"You're annoying. Go away."
"But…"
"No buts. I'm fine. Don't pull that 'saying you're fine makes you seem less fine' crap. I am fine."
He picked up his phone again. Backlog of replies. Even as he answered, new ones piled up. He thought:
The latter part's mostly fabricated, though.
Until now, he'd let people interpret it as they would. No confidence to dive into details. The memories existed, sure, but felt more like flipping through a book than his own. Desperate times, desperate measures.
But now that it was out there, time to straighten the story. Plus, those memories weren't "found" anymore—they were fully hers.
I racked my brain to make it coherent…
Thinking back, it wasn't total fabrication. Ha Suyeon meeting Seo Myeongjeon was logically true, right? Just the meeting spot wasn't real life.
Ha Suyeon and Seo Myeongjeon… both me now. Hard to call it a lie.
He eyed the KakaoTalks. Replying would eat the whole day.
After Documentary Episode 1 aired, communities didn't explode overnight, but the impact was clear.
Caps from the doc started circulating as memes online, etching Group Sound into non-fans' minds.
Main buzz was two things. First, Group Sound's tour opener from the doc. The soft vibe onstage felt fresh to idol fans. Plus, the new song announced—mild and approachable. Someone uploaded a bootleg YouTube vid quick; views skyrocketing.
Second, Ha Suyeon's past. Her history that rocked communities during Invasion from Seoul 2024 got relit by the doc, stacking massive narrative. The school violence rumors that lingered online post-resolution? Swept away by "kid with that backstory might snap" public opinion.
Left with sympathy and relief. Result: Group Sound gained huge recognition from just Episode 1. From niche music fans only to casual "Saw those girls online?" chats IRL.
Exactly as Label Echo Sound, especially Go Kyung-min team leader and Jeong Yu-young manager, planned.
But while everything else went to script, their real short-term goal—"Seoul concert ticket sales boost"? Zilch contribution.
Already sold out.
Happy miscalculation.
Night.
"Hey, hand me that over there!"
"Whoa whoa, it's tipping—grab it, grab it!"
Watching the frantic stage setup, he walked with the staff. Beside him: freelance concert director and documentary PD.
"As you see, monitors are up. No crazy environmental pops anymore. Lighting control incoming… like towers going up."
"What about the thing we talked about?"
"No issue. We reviewed it—totally doable."
Strolling the stage, checking spots. Not fully installed yet, but experience let him picture it.
Scale's insane.
He'd ordered it, company approved… but can we afford this? Gear beyond what he'd seen at old session gigs.
But he shook it off. Money's replaceable. First live tour finale? One-shot deal.
No skimping.
"Tomorrow, huh."
He muttered absently. Final concert just a day away.