Come Back, Gray Days
Creating an EP was all well and good, but what the hell should it be? That was currently Myeongjeon's biggest dilemma.
Of course, she had plenty of songs already written. All the tracks she'd composed during performances, grant applications, and everything else were more than enough for an EP. But Myeongjeon didn't want to recycle old material. She wanted something new. Something that felt like the band's true beginning.
The problem was, she had no clue what kind of song to write.
There were endless possibilities. Blues, hard rock, psychedelic, alt, prog, and every other guitar style under the sun... If it had been Seo Myeongjeon, maybe it'd be different, but as Ha Suyeon, the question wasn't what she could do—it was what she couldn't. She was at that level now.
But what did she actually want to do? That was where things got fuzzy.
What do I even want anymore?
This 'me' with Seo Myeongjeon's technique and Ha Suyeon's genius... what song should I write now? What should I play? Where the hell am I even going?
Lunchtime.
"Wanna eat out, Suyeon?"
Myeongjeon stared silently at Dain, who was making the suggestion. How the hell did the world end up like this?
That thing—what was it, a latte? Anyway, back in the day, going out for lunch? Unthinkable.
"School lunch is good today. It's pork cutlet. No need to go out."
"C'mon~ I'll treat you. Pleeease?"
In response to Myeongjeon's retort, Suhyeon sidled up to her all clingy-like. Then Chaerin piled on too. Myeongjeon flailed her hands to shake them off and eyed the girls.
Aren't you guys tired of this?
Just eat inside. School food wasn't half bad.
It wasn't even seasoned mackerel—Myeongjeon loved mackerel, but the school's version was impossible to stomach.
"Fine, let's go."
But seeing they weren't backing down, Myeongjeon sighed and nodded. She at least threw on a cardigan for appearances before slipping out the back door. Dain and the others, though, strutted out proudly in their school-uniforms-with-logos, all exaggerated "We gotta hide!" whispers and giggles.
"Ah! I was late 'cause of Yeonsu!"
By the time they reached the burger joint, it was packed with kids. Dain let out that dramatic yell, then flopped into a seat at a table with an over-the-top "I'm pissed!" huff.
"Just order."
"Shy burger for me~ extra fries."
"You want me to pay?"
"I'll get it. What do you want, Yeonsu?"
Chaerin was already at the kiosk. Myeongjeon said she'd have a shy burger too, then sat across from Dain.
Dain was face-planted on the table, snickering.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just fun."
"What's so fun about it?"
Myeongjeon couldn't fathom high school girl logic. The thrill of doing something forbidden? That guilty pleasure? But eating burgers outside during lunch wasn't exactly rebellious.
While Myeongjeon puzzled over their mindset with arms crossed, someone nearby called out.
"Hey, Kwon Ji! Long time no see~"
Kwon Ji-hye was there, looking ready to pick a fight as usual.
"Yeonsu."
"What?"
Dain and the girls greeted her casually, no hesitation. But Myeongjeon was thinking, Why's she stirring shit again?
Every time they crossed paths, it was snide remarks and nitpicking. Was she gunning for cartoon-villain sidekick?
"You still doing music?"
"Yeah."
The girls had expected a friendly vibe, but tension crept in. Kwon Ji-hye plopped down in Chaerin's spot while she waited for food.
"Planning to keep at it?"
"Why stop after one go? You want me to quit?"
At that, Ji-hye smirked and stood up. Myeongjeon had no idea what her deal was, and Ji-hye clearly wasn't spilling.
"Dain. Hit you up later."
"Sure~"
And off she went. Myeongjeon shot Dain a confused look, but Dain just snickered again.
"What was that?"
"Tell you later~ Let's eat."
Dain brushed it off and bit into the burger Chaerin brought. The girls beamed happily, dumping fries on the tray, dipping in ketchup, chattering about nothing important.
Myeongjeon didn't join in, just propped her chin and scanned the burger place. Being near school, it was all students. Everyone laughing and eating with their friends, faces lit up.
"Suyeon. You gonna eat?"
"Yeah."
She squished the burger flat for easy biting, then took a chomp. Instant sauce she'd have hated before, overly fried chicken patty, bun, all that jazz. Even early on as Ha Suyeon, she'd despised it.
But now? It slid right in. Better than bland beef soup or porridge from her old life. She craved bold, spicy stuff now.
"You got sauce on your cheek."
"Huh?"
On her third bite, Suhyeon wiped it off with a napkin. Myeongjeon felt a strange warmth seeing their goofy grins.
Three of them practicing some dance routine out of nowhere. Myeongjeon filmed it on her iPhone.
Chaerin slipped up mid-move.
"Argh! Chaerin~ What the hell~!"
"Ugh, I keep messing this up. Why's it so hard? It didn't seem that tough."
"You should've practiced, you idiot."
Myeongjeon stopped recording while they ragged on Chaerin.
They'd begged her to film, but why were they even doing this?
"What's the point of this?"
"Huh?"
"For TikTok?"
She asked the trio, who pondered it with furrowed brows.
Suhyeon spoke first.
"Kinda. And for the festival stage... but more than that."
"More than that?"
"Honestly, if not now, when? Right?"
"Huh?"
Myeongjeon reflexively echoed her, not getting it. The others looked equally baffled.
"I mean, you could do it anytime. But stuff like this? Gotta be now. We'll go to college, get jobs... no time, no age for it then."
"Is that so?"
Myeongjeon mulled it over. If not now, never. Seemed dubious, but rang true too.
"Nah, that's not it~"
"It is though."
She left them arguing and sank into thought.
Childhood memories had a different density. Right here, right now. Trivial stuff felt fun and happy with friends. Just a few years in a lifetime, but the era you'd reminisce about forever.
So make it count. If life got tough later, those memories could carry you. If it was good, they'd fuel you further.
That's it.
"Hey, start over. Lemme film."
"What the sudden?"
Myeongjeon cut off their bickering. They grumbled but reset, hit play, and danced.
Awkward slips, solid parts. Self-indulgent flair, faithful copies. At their pace, it'd never match the original.
That took endless practice. But who cared? It wasn't about the product—it was the process. Togetherness. That was the point.
After the "Got it" replies, Myeongjeon closed KakaoTalk.
She hated last-minute changes. Unless it was a funeral, she powered through schedules.
But this was urgent enough.
"Not eating dinner tonight."
"Why? Everything okay?"
"Got an idea brewing. Don't open the door—might break my focus."
She warned Lee Hyein too, then shut her bedroom door.
Her mind itched with inspiration.
Concept... yeah, that'll work.
Might get flak for chasing trends. Fans of Seo Myeongjeon or her as his disciple might question the weird pivot.
But screw it. No one skips youth unscathed. It's universal, relatable. Cliché even—but that's why it endures.
Perfect for this age group.
And there's a solid reference for an EP like this.
Silent Siren, the Japanese band. Ages off a bit, but the setup fit: four girls, including keys.
Lyrics? Hand to Iseo maybe. Melody and arrangement? Her job.
She sketched a melody. Youthful vibe—like fresh clouds in a blue sky? Too basic.
Today's lunch sky: overcast, no rain, but clouds drifting plenty. Murky, yet the girls bounced with energy.
Go that route. Not too upbeat. Monotone. Tempo drags a touch. Guitar leads melody. Bass: J-rock rhythmic line, dialed-back tone. Drums: bouncy pops. Keys: distant, wistful echo.
Make listeners nostalgic for their past selves.
Finally, she replayed the girls' dance video. Their bickering mid-fails, playful jabs.
Layer those talks as background white noise. Like walking home from school, kids' chatter fading in, scripting a page of youth.
Title? She mulled, then it hit: Come back, gray days.