Naeun (1)

Sim Naeun.

She was Starlight's main vocal.

Even within the group she had the most stable tone, and she was a solid kid who pulled high notes without any shaking.

Especially, she was the type who stood out more than anyone on stage rather than in the recordings.

When most idols run on stage, their breath shakes because of the intense choreography, and right before high notes there's a moment where they briefly catch their breath.

They have to keep moving while singing, and even match the camera movement lines.

On top of that they have to pay attention to their expressions, so unlike the recordings there are many things they have to do.

That's why mistakes become frequent, and the pitch shakes.

But she was different.

She dominated the stage while stably maintaining the pitch.

Especially raising high notes while doing choreography was at a level that could be counted on one hand even among idols of the same generation.

She was an idol who proved it directly on stage.

So I knew that someday she would do a solo stage.

Of course if it's Naeun it would be enough.

No, rather it was at a level where it was strange that she hadn't done it yet.

The problem was that I didn't know about it.

"... Naeun-ie's doing a solo stage? There wasn't such a schedule."

"There was, though?"

"What are you talking about. When I looked at the schedule table last time it was clearly—"

"It probably wasn't on the schedule table oppa saw. Since it was a matter proceeded in extreme secrecy."

"Extreme secrecy? What does that mean."

"It's exactly as I said."

Suah shrugged her shoulders lightly while holding the steering wheel.

"It's a surprise event prepared by the agency."

"Surprise event?"

"Yes. It hasn't been revealed to the fans yet either."

The car started smoothly and a huge broadcasting station building started to appear in front of the windshield.

"It will go in as a special programming at the beginning of today's live broadcast. Naeun's first solo stage."

Special programming?

It should have been discussed with the broadcasting station in advance, at least a few days... no, it should have been prepared from a few weeks ago.

But I didn't know.

"Special programming isn't something that happens this easily. And how do I not know this? I'm you guys' manager..."

"Because oppa wasn't supposed to know."

"... What?"

"It's a surprise event, right. An event to show Naeun's first solo stage to oppa."

The car slid into the entrance of the broadcasting station's underground parking lot.

The scenery beyond the windshield that had been bright instantly darkened.

The fluorescent light attached to the ceiling passed through the car at regular intervals.

Soon it entered a space where dozens of vans were parked further inside.

People who looked like some managers, stylists, and staff were busily running around.

Suah parked the car in an empty spot.

The engine sound disappeared and it slowly became quiet.

"Ah. Take this before getting out."

She took out a black cell phone from her pocket and held it out to me.

"Isn't it mine?"

"It's oppa's cell phone."

I quickly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took it and turned on the cell phone's power.

"Look at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠those eyes."

"......"

"Completely like a person who found hope."

With a short vibration the screen turned on and the lock screen appeared.

On the background screen there was a group photo taken with all of Starlight after getting weekly 1st place.

I entered the password and came to the home screen.

Instinctively I tried to open messages to check what contacts came, but

[You do not have usage permission.]

"... What."

When I pressed messages once more, this time a different phrase appeared.

[Guardian's approval is required for use.]

"Guardian...? What does this mean."

"It's exactly as it says."

Suah unbuckled the seatbelt and leaned her body towards me.

"It means that for oppa to use the cell phone, guardian's approval is needed."

"Am I a kid?"

"No."

She smiled small.

"But if I leave oppa alone, you keep having dangerous thoughts."

"Dangerous thoughts?"

"Like running away."

Suah folded one finger.

"Or contacting someone."

Folded another one.

"Or making a weird report for no reason."

Weird report.

The fact that those words came out so naturally was even more absurd.

"Suah-ya."

"Yes."

"This isn't a cell phone."

"Why? Calls work, texts work, internet works."

"I have to get permission."

"That's the important part."

Suah nodded her head.

"Because you shouldn't contact just anyone."

I looked down at the screen again.

Ordinary apps were installed on the home screen.

Phone Messages Internet Map Camera.

On the surface it was no different from a regular cell phone.

But when I pressed an app, the phrase that there was no usage permission popped up.

"Ah there's a gift there too, try pressing that file."

"File?"

As if possessed I pressed the file on the home screen.

When I pressed the folder there was only one recording file inside.

It was a voice file with only the date and time written, without even a file name. I pressed the play button.

Inside was a recording file of what I was subjected to by her in the recording studio yesterday.

It seemed like even my breathing sounds were heard in great detail.

"It recorded well, right?"

"......"

"As expected the recording studio mic performance is good, no noise ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠either."

"You..."

"There are a lot of people outside oppa. So I can't control oppa."

"......"

"Then if you ask for help and say oppa ran away?"

She tapped the cell phone tok tok.

"You know even without saying, right?"

"......"

"Oppa would feel wronged. But the world doesn't listen that carefully."

-Kkwaak

She made me grip the cell phone tightly in my hand.

"So. Stay quietly today."

"......"

"It's Naeun's first stage."

Suah smiled brightly again as if nothing had happened.

"We shouldn't ruin a good day for no reason."

Along with those words she opened the car door first and went outside.

The cold air of the underground parking lot rushed in through the opened door gap.

Soon Suah who came back to the side opened the passenger seat door and looked at me.

"Get out."

Her voice was bright and light as usual, as if nothing was wrong.

I put the cell phone in my pocket.

My fingertips were still trembling, but I didn't want to be caught.

She naturally grabbed my arm and we entered the broadcasting station together through the back door.

The inside of the broadcasting station was already chaotic with live broadcast preparations.

Staff holding walkie-talkies ran across the hallway, and people who looked like stylists passed by with quick steps while holding costume bags in their arms.

When other broadcasting station related people and junior idols greeted, Suah skillfully received all those greetings.

As we went towards the end of the hallway the noise decreased little by little.

Papers attached to each waiting room door passed by one by one.

Passing places with unfamiliar group names, familiar singer names, staff-only notices attached, Suah stopped in front of the innermost door.

[Sim Naeun]

"Arrived!"

She opened the door while smiling brightly.

The inside was quieter than I thought.

If it was Starlight's waiting room it was always messy.

Coordinators unfolding costume covers, makeup staff organizing pouches, members scattered here and there looking at cell phones or picking up snacks to eat.

But now in the waiting room there was almost none of that commotion.

On one hanger a few costume covers that seemed already used were hanging, and on the table bottled water, throat candy, and a tumbler were neatly placed.

And the owner of this waiting room seemed to have already finished preparations and gone out to the stage.

"Sit."

I sat in the seat as instructed on the sofa Suah pointed to.

"I'll go out for a bit and come back. Stay still here."

"You're going out?"

"I have something to do. Today's Naeun's first stage. I have to take care of her."

Suah said as if it was no big deal and walked towards the door.

Soon before going out, as if something came to mind, she looked at me again.

"Oppa. The cell phone location shows everything too. If oppa goes somewhere weird a notification comes, so stop doing weird things."

Suah lightly shook the cell phone then smiled.

"I'll come back soon oppa!"

At that time sound started to flow out from the small tv placed on one side of the waiting room.

A bright voice filled the inside of the waiting room.

On the screen MCs standing in front of the stage were smiling brightly.

From the audience seats fans' cheers burst out, and the excited atmosphere unique to live broadcasts with a bit of rawness flowed out through the small speaker.

At that moment cheers burst out from the audience side.

Along with the cheering sound that made the TV speaker ring to the point of being strained, subtitles immediately appeared at the bottom of the screen.

[First Reveal]

[Sim Naeun - Night That Reaches You]

The stage darkened and only the light sticks of the audience seats shook at the bottom of the screen.

Soon a low piano sound flowed out.

White lighting slowly came down to the center of the black stage and Naeun was visible inside that light.

She, wearing a white costume, was holding the mic with her head bowed.

There was none of the flashy expressions always seen on group stages, nor the eye signals exchanged with members.

Naeun standing alone on the wide stage looked much smaller than I thought.

But strangely it didn't look empty.

The lighting wrapped around her shoulders and fingertips, and the camera slowly approached towards her face.

As the song was ending the cheers from the audience seats grew louder

Naeun dragged the last note long.

Without shaking, until the end. And right before the lighting slowly went out, she smiled very faintly.