Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Arena.
We all sat in the artist seats, our outfits billowing as we cooled off. The heat of the stage still clung to our bodies.
“Ugh......”
Probably from dancing so hard, my throat felt strained. As I rubbed my stiff neck and shoulders, I checked on my juniors’ condition.
They all looked refreshed and fine.
Seeing Biju and Jiho leaning on Junhyun’s shoulders, I turned to the main vocalist, who had his eyes closed.
“Ri Hyuk, you alive?”
“......”
I placed a finger under his nose and felt a faint breath. He was okay—just montarily out of juice, like a phone screen dimming at 5 percent battery.
“Waaaah!”
With trendous cheers, Teen Spirit’s stage ended. Sweaty Hueyeon grinned as the lights went dark, and Teen Spirit’s fans waved their soul-destroying light sticks in a sea of motion. It was always a terrifying sight.
“Wow......”
“We look like that when your Dalbongis wave,” Hwanjo whispered.
“What are you talking about? Dalbongis are cute.”
“......”
“Stop whispering and finish rubbing your gloves.”
I motioned him away, and Hwanjo resud rubbing his gloves, muttering “Hoohhhh...”
I ignored my juniors’ amused glances.
anwhile, Teen Spirit’s mbers returned from the stage. I stood and bowed.
“Great job~”
“Oh, it was nothing.”
They seed satisfied with their performance, sitting with expressions as if they’d just showered and sipped Z-Tea. I turned my gaze back to the stage screen.
“Next is the Global Artist Award.”
Epic BGM played as a VCR started. Soon a blue-haired singer-songwriter appeared on screen, and the Arena’s audience erupted in cheers.
[Haley Blue]
As Haley’s signature songs played, the VCR highlighted her achievents. I exchanged looks with my juniors.
“So that’s it.”
“That’s it.”
Two months ago, at our Empire coback, K-Net’s director had asked us to help book Haley. We’d thought the deal fell through, but it must have been arranged after all.
“Ladies and gentlen! The Global Artist of the Year—Haley Blue!”
It was ti for Haley’s VCR ssage: “Thank you, KMA,” but instead—
“Waaaah!”
Behind the stage, Haley Blue in a white dress appeared in person. As one of Arica’s top pop stars, her arrival sent the artist seats into a stir.
“H-Haley B-Bl-Blue...!”
The starstruck boys convulsed together. Serenity and Scarlet leapt to their feet, Street Boys stood agape. Senior singer-songwriter Jang Sa Won’s eyes nearly popped out. Everyone wore the expression: Why is she here?
We applauded in greeting, but were utterly stunned.
‘I thought it would be a VCR.’
‘What is this?’
The cue sheet said “[VCR] Haley Blue remarks.” That ant it was supposed to be prerecorded, but she must have flown to Hong Kong on impulse.
We shared a knowing look.
‘Ah...!’
I could easily imagine Haley strumming her guitar and lounging, then noticing “Oh, I’m in Hong Kong tomorrow,” and deciding “I’m going!”
‘She ca for beef noodles and egg tarts...!’
‘She’s here for dim sum.’
Whatever the reason, it was clearly spontaneous.
Haley, elegantly draped in her dress, sauntered to the mic.
“Hi~”
She scanned the crowd with a relaxed smile.
“First, as your Global Artist, thanks to K-Net for this huge award.”
She smiled serenely. We nodded at her.
‘She got paid a ton!’
‘I wonder how much.’
She continued the ceremony’s motto: “The world unites through music,” speaking at length with genuine passion.
“Finally, music is fucking aweso. Otherwise, how would I connect with people across the Pacific?”
She laughed softly, sauntered offstage, and the BGM swelled again.
“Wow......”
“Did you hear that? She said ‘fucking’ in English......”
We laughed at the dreamy faces of the starstruck boys clapping.
Thus ended Haley’s KMA invasion, and another VCR played: a montage of grand prize winners from 2007 through last year. Sixty Seconds edited the footage to TNT’s first win.
“Congratulations, TNT—!”
The 2nd-gen top girl group winning Song of the Year, then TNT’s Album and Artist awards, leading up to us last year.
“This year’s Song of the Year—Flower in the Wind! Congratulations!”
Last year’s video showed the five of us leaping up and hugging each other. Hard to believe it’s already been a year. I felt that old thrill wash over .
Then the VCR text glittered:
[Who will be this year’s grand prize winner?]
Amid cheers, actor Lee Kang Jin from walked onstage. After the prepared remarks, he gestured.
“Now for Song of the Year. Let’s et the nominees.”
Montages of Falling Flower, Teen Spirit’s Demonic, and others played, finishing with Serenity’s REALITY video—high-teen queens in refreshing sound performing synchronized dance.
“Waaaaah!”
As the audience cheered, Lee Kang Jin opened the envelope.
“And the 2016 KMA Song of the Year is......”
He smiled at the envelope before the mic.
“Congratulations, Serenity.”
With epic BGM, everyone rose and applauded. Only Serenity’s mbers sat frozen, eyes wide.
They lifted trembling hands to their mouths, stood and bowed, then walked onto the runway stage.
“Uh......”
One mber broke into tears, and soon all five wept together.
“One, two, three... Hello, we are Serenity!”
“W-we....”
The leader, holding back tears until the end, finally cried as the audience cheered support. They delivered tear-filled thanks.
“Thank you so much!”
Thus ended Serenity’s Song award. Another actor appeared, moving on to Album of the Year. Unlike Song awards at the Mango Chart Awards, the Album award had a relaxed mood—everyone knew who would win.
“Congratulations! Teen Spirit!”
“Waaaaah!”
Teen Spirit’s full-album sales led the year, earning them the KMA Album Award.
“Our Souls...!”
Translation: fans.
“Thank you for supporting us despite our shortcomings.”
Translation: thanks for liking and this bunch of idiots.
We smiled warmly at Teen Spirit’s cotton-candy smiles. After applauding them, I turned back to the stage. The presenting actor greeted briefly in English, then introduced Artist of the Year nominees:
“Teen Spirit.
Serenity.
The New Black.”
By the last na, the roar was thunderous. We swallowed hard. The artists around began to look at us.
“Now, the 2016 K-Net Music Award Artist of the Year goes to......”
The actor, pausing for effect, then smiled.
“NewBlack.”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
The fans’ pterosaur-like roar released our tension. We rose on instinct, slung arms around each other’s shoulders and nodded.
“That’s it.”
“It’s done.”
Junhyun smiled and nodded. Having heard we were frontrunners for Artist of the Year at both Mango Chart Awards and KMA, we were expecting this.
“Waaaaah!”
We nodded to the Street Boys, who patted us on the shoulder in congratulations, then walked onto the runway stage. Once again, Artist of the Year. Fans waved Dalbongis on both sides, making us feel like we were walking a path of light.
“Thank you.”
I held the trophy and stood at the standing mic.
“-Souple.”
“Waaaaah!”
“-You gave us another award.”
On our recent U.S. trip, we’d realized again: thanks to our fans, we were treated well even on Arican talk shows. No matter how well we sing or dance, without fans we wouldn’t get that treatnt. The entertainnt world is cold and ruthless.
“-Even on this cold day, having fans here warms us. When we won Song of the Year last year, I said it was the warst winter of my life... but coming here this year feels different.”
I smiled with the mbers as I spoke.
“-Because of you, it’s [N O V E L I G H T] always spring for us.”
“-Thank you so much!”
I raised the trophy in a smile. They say that once a senior wins the grand prize, the thrill fades—but I don’t know if that’s true. Awards are always wonderful.
The glass trophy glowed. I raised it with both hands, and Mingi, hiding behind , held his crystal up behind it.
Whoosh—!
A brilliant rainbow shone forth.
Teen Spirit, watching beside , applauded.
“Wow, damn... the prism effect.”
“Science, man.”
As the neighbors gasped, we motioned to Mingi.
“Take a photo, quick!”
“Got it!”
We snapped our victory selfie with the rainbow from the KMA trophy, then celebrated once more with our juniors. Biju hugged the trophy happily.
“I love it so much, hyung, really......”
“I want to hold it too. Our trophy.”
The Artist of the Year trophy looked absolutely lovable. anwhile, we heard other artists packing up. The ceremony was over; it was ti to catch our flight.
“Thank you all for your hard work!”
Artists with bags slung on their shoulders greeted staff or answered K-Net caras. We watched our wide-eyed neighbors.
“Going solo?”
“No, my English sucks.”
They wanted to et the Global Artist in person. We guided them to the waiting room.
“Co in.”
It was that waiting room from earlier—lavishly decked out with snacks, like a gingerbread house.
“Ah......”
The mystery unraveled. A little girl gnawing a cookie on the sofa looked up and caught our eyes.
“Hi~!”
We waved to greet Sumr, Haley’s daughter, then turned to Haley beside her.
“Haley, we’re here.”
“Oh...”
“What brings you to Hong Kong?”
“My husband is on a film location. I needed to entertain Sumr, and there’s not much to do at ho.”
She’d co to Hong Kong to shop with her daughter. Energetic Sumr must have worn her out early.
“I got an award too!”
Sumr bead, and I introduced Teen Spirit. Haley took interest in the bright eyes behind us.
“Who are these adorable kids?”
“They’re Teen Spirit.”
Yeonhu and Ha Hyun stepped forward hesitantly.
“I—I’m your huge fan!”
“I’ve always wanted to et you in person.”
The boys, witnessing a living avatar of “huge,” stared at her in awe. Haley laughed and patted them.
“They even translate for us!” Biju whispered.
“It’s fine—they’re all happy.”
In the warm atmosphere, they communicated nonverbally. Haley smiled and said, “Good job. Eat your vegetables evenly.”
Ri Hyuk translated: “Eat a balanced diet and be kind to neighbors.”
“Yes, we will!”
We bead. After a happy group selfie with Haley, we prepared to depart. In the corridor we t the departing Serenity.
“Boohoo...”
“Unnie, don’t cry—boohoo...”
They wept and wailed like a school of fish, reminding of ourselves last year.
“Congratulations on Song of the Year.”
“Boohoo... thank you.”
“Unnie, stop crying... boohoo...”
As they sobbed, Junhyun held up the trophy and Dalbongi.
“Want to see a rainbow?”
“Huh? Wow...”
Serenity’s mbers wiped their tears and gasped at Junhyun’s rainbow. Not exactly a post-rain rainbow, but a very Junhyun mont. We waved to them, then left the waiting room.
“But why show it?”
“When kids cry, they stop if you show sothing fun.”
“Maybe you could’ve just gotten close to their faces—they were laughing.”
“......”
A chilly silence. Irritated, my juniors scowled as I held up the trophy and Dalbongi.
“A reverse rainbow.”
“Waaaaah......”
We laughed at our kids’ dreamy faces—then noticed Wonder Child’s mbers blinking in the corner. We smiled at them.
“Great performance.”
“Oh, thank you, seniors......”
“......”
“......”
We cleared our throats and looked sternly at the rainbow, but it was hopeless—they were already gone.
The next day.
In the Producing Team office at Lemon Entertainnt, producers applauded as the grand-prize artists entered.
“Wow! Artist of the Year is here!”
“Guys, congrats!”
They draped flower leis around NewBlack, triumphant like victors returning, as producers cheered. Wooju smiled.
“Thank you so much. Truly, it’s all thanks to you......”
“Hah!”
PD Na Sang Yoon, the Producing Team leader, barked,
“What are you saying? This award is all your own making!”
“That’s right!”
“You all did this—completely!”
Before the humble NewBlack mbers could protest, the producing team sealed it off. In China they have the proverb “uncaressed, unrepelled”—neither too close nor too distant. We aspired to that balance.
“Congrats on Artist of the Year. Really—you made it.”
“Thank you, PD.”
Wooju and the others bead as producers congratulated them and led them to the studio.
“By the way, Wooju.”
“PD.”
PD Na Sang Yoon tilted his head.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Well, I have sothing to say. It’s not urgent—PD, you go first.”
“......?”
Na PD wondered, Why does Wooju look so uneasy? As he sensed their tension, he spotted the mbers behind Wooju gathering the trophy and light sticks.
“I have sothing to say too.”
“Yes, go ahead, PD.”
“Well... about the Dokkaebi track.”
“Oh, yes.”
Wooju tensed at the ntion of the single. Na PD continued,
“You said it’d be done by today... but I need more ti.”
“Really?”
Wooju’s expression brightened.
“In final mixing, I noticed so fixes and improvents to make.”
He handed Wooju an A4 with notes from the composers’ eting. Wooju examined it calmly. Na PD tensed, thinking, What if he hates it? Though younger, Wooju knew trends better. PD watched as the composer-leader read.
Gently, Wooju laid the paper down.
“So, PD says he wants to tweak Dokkaebi more. He spotted so parts to fix.”
“That’s right.”
“Which ans it won’t et today’s deadline?”
“That’s right...?”
Amid the producers’ glances, NewBlack’s Chief Producer Wooju smiled brightly and clasped PD’s hand.
“PD.”
“Uh...?”
“You made the right call.”
Behind him, the others quietly returned trophy and light sticks to their spots.
“Of course quality matters more than deadlines~”
“By the way, Wooju, you said you wanted to say sothing just now...”
“Huh? Did I say that?”
“No...”
He must have ant to say sothing else. The producing team felt both pleased and slightly outmaneuvered.
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