Ch.6363. Photo Time

After his eyes met with Nayoung, Suhyeok gradually found Juyeon’s voice turning into background music, like a radio playing in a restaurant.

A vague sense of displeasure rose within him about why Nayoung was here. And the puzzling question of what she had come to see began to dominate his thoughts.

“Is everyone ready?”

Juyeon looked around after finishing her introductory comments.

Both Hana and Seoeun looked at Juyeon and gave her the signal, but Suhyeok was staring off into space, not even glancing in Juyeon’s direction.

“…Suhyeok.”

The voice amplified through the microphone snapped him back to reality.

“Huh? Yeah?”

Only then did Suhyeok look at Juyeon.

“Are you ready?”

Juyeon stared at him with eyes that seemed to ask if something was wrong.

“…Yeah.”

From his answer, Juyeon immediately sensed that something had happened to him. She could recognize the anxiety in his eyes better than anyone else.

But resolving that would have to wait until after the performance.

Whatever it was, Suhyeok had no choice at the moment.

He would silently fulfill his duty as a guitarist. And that meant playing the guitar on stage as coolly as possible.

-Clap clap clap clap

Standing Luxury begins.

Once the song started, there was no time to dwell on worries.

Red. Blue.

Colorful lights irregularly shone down on the members’ heads.

The seniors from the 21st class, including Jaejun, were helping with the lighting.

They excitedly flipped switches up and down in time with the music.

“When we were active members, playing with the lights looked so fun.”

“Why? Not enjoying it now that you’re doing it yourself?”

“No? It’s even more fun than I thought. Thrilling.”

“Ah, move over. Let me try too.”

The seniors were waiting for a more upbeat song to come on so they could go wild with crazy lighting effects.

“Are… are you all enjoying yourselves…?”

If there was a time during performances that Juyeon hated most, it was when the session musicians needed to tune their instruments.

Naturally, not all songs in the world are in the same key. That’s why session musicians sometimes need time to tune during performances.

Six strings for the guitar.

Four for the bass.

While the members busily turned the knobs on their headstocks, it was the vocalist’s job to fill the time.

“Is there anyone here who came to see us last year too?”

Cheers erupted from the audience.

Most were friends of Hana and Seoeun, or Spirit seniors who could be considered regular attendees.

“Ahaha. Thank you for coming to see us again… I’m working hard to show you an improved version of myself compared to last year.”

Of course, she wasn’t talking about her singing.

She was referring to her communication techniques.

“Unnie! You’re pretty!”

A girl Juyeon didn’t recognize shouted toward her.

“What…? M-me?”

“Yes!”

“Th-thank youuu…”

Park Juyeon.

Incapable of banter!

The audience burst into laughter at her adorable response.

Juyeon, who had been chewing her lip wondering what to say next, broke into a bright smile.

The other session musicians had signaled that they had finished tuning.

“Well then… let’s move on to something with a rougher vibe!”

The title of the next song was RUSH.

As the name suggested, it was a song about charging forward.

The down-tuning was all for this metal-like song.

The seniors, recognizing that the moment had come, turned off all the lights.

-Clap clap clap clap

In the darkness, the sound of drumsticks signaling the start could be heard.

The atmosphere was completely opposite to the previous song.

From the intro, it was clear this would be different.

Suhyeok and Hana’s guitar sounds harmonized.

The repetitive, fast-tempo riffs showcased a visual spectacle of technical brilliance.

-Doogoodoodoogoodoogoodoogo

This song required the strongest pick.

Which also meant it was a song that put considerable power on the drums.

But what the audience found most impressive was Juyeon’s vocals.

It was a moment of perfect transformation for the seemingly innocent girl.

I can’t wait until tomorrow!

By the time I stop bleeding

This unstoppable rush might over

The Juyeon who sang of love with a beautiful voice was long gone.

What stood on stage now, screaming, was truly a rock star who refused to stop rushing forward.

The seniors looked at Juyeon with satisfied eyes.

She would likely go down in Spirit’s history as a memorable vocalist.

Suhyeok, his back soaked with sweat from the lights and performance, shook his head and waist relentlessly.

The lights were flashing so brightly that he could barely see the audience anyway.

He surrendered his body to the music as if afflicted with a status effect of frenzy.

RUSH, a song that required shouting from beginning to end, was certainly more than adequate to adorn the latter part of the regular performance.

“Whew!”

Juyeon wiped the sweat from her forehead after finishing the song.

Applause poured in.

Everyone seemed excited, with flushed faces visible here and there.

The reason the shy Juyeon couldn’t leave the band was clearly because she couldn’t forget moments like these.

Memories etched only in her eyes because photos couldn’t be taken.

It was a day that would be recorded as another unforgettable one in Juyeon’s diary.

“Now, we really only have one last song left…”

This was a segment that didn’t exist last year.

It was the only time they weren’t imitating someone else.

“We’d like to show you an original song composed by us, the 23rd class.”

It was a comment filled with the shyness of a girl making a confession.

“Well, Hana did most of the work on making the song, and the rest of us just added a little bit…!”

Seoeun put her hand to her forehead at Juyeon’s explanation.

Even if it was true, why call it “just adding a little bit”?

“But we all put our hearts into making this song, so I hope you enjoy it!”

Juyeon bowed her head politely.

The courteous bow was an expression of gratitude to everyone who had come to the regular performance.

Suhyeok, who had wondered how they would get through all eight songs, was dumbfounded that it was already ending.

He wanted to show more, but there was no more food to serve, no more ingredients.

Choegang and Hana made eye contact.

As the clear intro rang out, Juyeon gripped the microphone firmly with both hands.

The monitor stays lit until late dawn

The cold coffee is no longer sweet

In a dark corner of a room with no day or night

The reason to breathe has grown faint

Juyeon and Suhyeok presented the lyrics they had written together sitting in his studio apartment.

The lyrics contained the less-than-ideal daily lives of loners.

The spring that hasn’t come yet

In these hazy days

Another night fading into sleep

Waiting for tomorrow’s you

Like a flower

That moment when you’ll bloom clearly

It was Seoeun who had fixed the lyrics that were full of depression and anxiety.

In the chorus, Seoeun’s warm words were unraveling their story.

“Guitar!”

After the second verse ended, the much-anticipated guitar solo followed.

Suhyeok’s fingers danced across the fretboard.

Hana crossed the stage to approach Suhyeok.

With a bright smile, she leaned her back against his.

Since they had never done this during practice, Suhyeok was surprised, but he managed to continue playing successfully.

He could feel Hana’s body heat through his back.

The reason for Suhyeok’s racing heart became unclear once again.

After the solo that pushed the boundaries of brilliance came Hana’s gentle arpeggio part.

Another day comes to an end

That daily life faded with hesitation

Saying nothing stays the same

I close my eyes

Juyeon, with her eyes actually closed, rushed toward the finale.

True to the title “Dawn is Blue,” Juyeon aimed to show the maximum volume she could produce.

“Waiting for tomorrow’s me! Even if I melt away~ disappear~ like a snowflake~”

With one final riff, Spirit’s first semester regular performance came to an end.

“Thank you very much!”

Juyeon and the other members bowed deeply.

As applause poured in, the members put down their instruments and rushed down to the audience.

“Yoon Hana! You crazy girl! So damn pretty!”

“Hana! Let’s take a picture!”

“Ah, come quickly~”

After the regular performance ended, an atmosphere similar to a graduation ceremony unfolded.

Photo time with friends who had come to see them.

Suhyeok looked around, wondering if Nayoung might still be there.

“What are you looking for?”

Juyeon, who had no one to take pictures with, approached Suhyeok.

“Nothing… particularly.”

“Did something happen?”

It was a question asked already knowing that something had happened.

Suhyeok’s lips formed a straight line.

He didn’t seem to want to talk about it.

“…Should we take a picture together?”

Juyeon rarely took out her own phone.

“Just us?”

Suhyeok scratched his head awkwardly.

“We look like outcasts if we’re the only ones not taking pictures.”

Of course, there would be a photo time just for the members after all the audience left. But looking around, they did indeed look like outcasts at the moment.

“Shall we?”

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

Both were selfie novices.

They had camera apps installed but, being loners, had no information about which filters were good.

“Doesn’t this make our faces look too smooth?”

“That’s how cameras are these days. Whatever.”

“It looks weird.”

“Then use your camera instead.”

The two stood so close that their arms touched.

Inside the square frame.

A man and woman, disheveled with sweat.

“It came out well.”

Though both the composition and subjects were a mess, Suhyeok could agree with Juyeon’s assessment.

“…Yeah.”

Suhyeok quite liked the brightly smiling face in the photo.