Before the Curtain Rises
The blistering guitar riff cut off abruptly. A vast reverb echoed through the room, and with it, the thunderous drums wrapped up with a resounding thud!. For a moment, silence blanketed the practice room. Myeongjeon slotted her worn-out pick into the neck of her guitar, then clapped slowly.
"Good work."
At her words, the three girls let out long sighs of relief, their faces relaxing. Expressions Myeongjeon had seen countless times back in her 'Seo Myeongjeon' days as a band leader. They'd whine about how harsh the practice was, beg to call it quits, even complain that their joints were wrecked and they couldn't perform. All nonsense, of course. Some baseball coach had said it best: shoulders get stronger the more you use them. Wrists too. Just like how the ground hardens after rain, skills sharpened after intense playing and practice.
Back in her day, she'd trained wrist strength with sandbags or spring-loaded finger devices while hammering away at guitar or drums. These kids nowadays were so fragile... Would they ever toughen up? Tsk tsk.
"Finally done?"
"Yeah. Rental time's almost up anyway. We could squeeze in another day or two, but I don't think we'd improve much more."
Choi Iseo's question got a casual reply, drawing overt sighs of relief. Myeongjeon arched one eyebrow, eyeing Iseo.
"That sick of practicing?"
"...N-no, it's not that, but isn't this a bit much...?"
"Yeah, it is."
Yoo Seoha's agreement came as Iseo's voice trailed off sleepily. Despite being a year younger, Ha Suyeon possessed skills beyond imagination. So they'd expected superhuman practice regimens too. But this was overkill. With the performance looming, she'd kept them in full band practice all week because the quality wasn't up to her standards, hurling barbs like "Why isn't this working?" or "Why'd you mess up? No hands?" And excluding Seoha, who couldn't practice at home, the other two had been saddled with homework that'd take all-nighters even after studio sessions.
"But that's why we can pull off a show in just a month and a half."
At the start, it was total chaos. Rhythm all over the place, just hacking away desperately. Drums racing off alone, bass with no sense of beat. Keyboard barely audible. But now? They'd achieved actual band synergy. They'd know it best themselves—the qualitative leap from pre-practice selves to now. How hard they'd worked, how they deserved the payoff. Despite the tight timeline, they'd scraped together playable skills. Enough to show in front of others.
"Anyway... you all did great. For total newbies to nail three songs together in a month and a half? School bands and office bands would call bullshit."
The three chuckled. But it was true. Typical school or office bands took six months to a year from jamming to stage-ready.
"Nothing'll go wrong on festival day, right?"
"Stuff could go wrong. Obviously."
Like someone getting hit by a car on the way. Or a guitar string snapping mid-solo. It happened. Iseo paled slightly at Myeongjeon's words, but she pressed on undeterred.
"But nothing will, and even if it does, it'll be fine. We've put in the work."
Myeongjeon was sure of it.
I'm nervous.
In one corner of the classroom, where her group was huddled doing something, Jeong Hyeona rubbed her hands furtively, killing time under the guise of role-playing. She'd submitted her form to attend the afternoon festival performance in the auditorium ages ago—no backing out now.
Actually, Somaet's probably more nervous...
As rhythm guitar fill-in, Hyeona only had a few tricky arranged parts. In the original, rhythm handled vocals too, which might've been tough, but Suyeon was singing this time. No pressure. The one sweating it was Iseo, who'd practiced bass till her fingers bled under Suyeon's last-minute scoldings.
Glancing at KakaoTalk, Hyeona snuck a peek around the class. No one paying her any mind. Just step out at the right moment... Easier said than done.
Wait, why is this so hard?
Just say she's heading out for band practice. Why the hesitation? She hadn't done anything wrong. Thoughts the old Hyeona never would've had. But Suyeon's hellish training had warped her timid nature. Like someone revived from death emerging changed, she'd gained a mindset of If I endured that, what's one little announcement?
"Seonghyeon."
"Yeah?"
"I've got a performance, mind if I step out?"
Standing from her seat, Hyeona declared it to the kid handling chores. A boldness the old her lacked.
"Huh?? Uh... w-what for?"
"Band gig."
A ripple spread through the momentarily stunned class. Band? Her? Didn't she do piano? Who's that again? She was in a band? Music kid? Whispers flew.
"Cool if I go?"
"Y-yeah... go ahead."
"Thanks."
Hyeona slipped out, the classroom erupting behind her. Walking on, she pondered post-performance fallout.
What happens after the band show? How'll the kids treat me?
It scared her a bit. Her peaceful status quo shattered? Things spiraling worse? Daily life disrupted? Change was coming, sure. But was it bad? Her routine wasn't great anyway. Why fear worsening what was already meh?
"Unnie!"
At the school gate, the teacher on duty and three familiar faces waited.
"Teacher, these are friends from another school helping with my performance today..."
"Performance?"
"Yeah, band thing."
"Hmm..."
Flipping through the pamphlet, the teacher pointed to their band name. "This one?" Nodding, Hyeona answered ID checks, and they were waved in.
"Security's intense."
"World's full of weirdos these days."
Seoha grumbled; Iseo laughed it off, patting her. Hyeona walked silently beside Suyeon. Their mismatched uniforms drew stares mercilessly. The leader's face amplified it.
"Ha Suyeon?" "Why's she here...?" "That a guitar?" Voices everywhere.
"Lots of people recognize you."
"Obviously. Think about what you did..."
"No memory of it. Gotta know what I did to care."
Suyeon brushed off the stares and Iseo's jab coolly.
Myeongjeon crossed her arms, surveying the scene. Kids in flashy outfits dancing desperately to the latest K-pop, crowd cheering. This was a high school festival? No such thing in her school days—study or get caned. Now they had cultural fun? Times had changed.
World's progressed... But yeah, reactions like that are way better.
No big expectations for their debut. Three strangers from another school, three Japanese songs no one knew. Only spectacle: her guitar solo. But the other three? Would cold reception crush them? After hellish practice, would unresponsive crowds make them quit music?
Eh, even if they do, it's fine.
They could redouble efforts or quit. Either way, she'd play her music. Still, better if they stuck—didn't want guys in the band.
Why so many people?
Myeongjeon stood expressionless, but Iseo was dying inside. Performance in minutes, lifetime first, in front of that crowd.
She not nervous?
Both newbies, yet Suyeon's face unchanged. Maybe trembling elsewhere? Iseo scanned: fingers fine, ears fine, legs fine. All good.
Ridiculous.
"Not nervous?"
"...Me?"
Myeongjeon shot back incredulously, eyeing Iseo's pale face.
Too freaked to notice reactions anyway.
Relieved, she replied, "Worry about yourself. Hands shaking. Can you even play?"
Seoha, veteran-calm. Hyeona, tense but competition-hardened. Iseo? True rookie, full auditorium—not ten or twenty people.
My first gig...
Too long ago to recall clearly. Something about whiskey to steady nerves. Useless memory.
"Don't worry."
"Huh?"
Dance team wrapped; curtain fell. Kids exiting eyed Myeongjeon curiously, ignored. Seoha and Hyeona climbed for setup; Myeongjeon turned to Iseo.
"Don't sweat the performance."
"...Duh, no worries~ Why would I? I'm awesome. No mistakes."
Bright tone, but Myeongjeon shook her head.
"Nah, you'll mess up. 100%. Hands shaking now—what, not on stage? But don't worry. Even if you all screw up... I'll cover. That's my level."
She swept back her hair, parting it slightly. Strands fell over her shoulder. Seoha and Hyeona paused setup; Iseo's shaky hands froze. All eyes on Myeongjeon.
"This gig's one-and-done. Don't waste a fleeting chance on nerves. Just be you. Play what we practiced. Show it. Enjoy it. It's for fun—why stress? Ditch that 'can't mess up' weight on your shoulders."
Silence fell. Backstage, only crowd noise filtered through. Kids steadied breaths amid the hush. Heartbeats slowing.
"Group Sound team... Jeong Hyeona sunbae. Ready?"
"Ah, one sec..."
Setup done; broadcast kid called Hyeona. She signaled wait, eyed Myeongjeon.
"Alright, let's go."
Myeongjeon said curtly.