Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“Watashi ga kita!”

A few days after requesting recruitment to Kang Min all members gathered at the practice room.

Kang Min who entered the latest appeared making a fuss.

Looking at that confidence seems succeeded.

“Picked it?”

“To omae, watashi ga... Did I say shinjitte?”

Isn’t this just the level of giving up being Korean?

Moreover never said words in such Japanese.

“Talk so it’s understandable don’t know what you’re saying at all.”

Heo Junseong sarcastically said.

“Kekuk, kamino koe ga kikoenai!!!?”

“Wow, that guy is too high.”

“What to do Min...”

“Someone beat that and fix it.”

“What is he saying really.”

Now even I can’t handle.

That crazy guy will gradually get worse what to do ahead.

“Hahaha! Picked the performance, even the performance opening stage!”

“Hul, really? Opening? How did you?”

“Ah, in fact rookies usually enter as opening. Main stage is experienced bands standing. Opening is the worst spot.”

“Anyway worked hard. As expected reliable.”

In the previous life our small... No, then it was a too big dream.

Being able to achieve that too easily in this life a bit empty feeling was also felt but anyway meaning was added to our first single promotion stage.

The single titled ‘Before the OKTOP’.

Because we became able to promote on the dream stage we longed for in the previous life.

“Alright, now let’s practice hard!”

“Good!”

The set list at most was all three songs.

<​Rendez-vous>, <​Your Time>.

And among the release songs the most popular.

Thought of doing one cover song too but decided to just compete with only the skill we have.

Performance practice was smooth.

Personal flaws to the degree of becoming a big problem were also much supplemented, and overall harmony was also good.

Not only simple ensemble.

We every day imagined the stage and practiced like real battle.

In some part how to move, play, and at the same time the timing of largely twisting or moving the body.

Not only in the practice room.

Every week performed our songs at Banwol Park, and that became very good practice.

And didn’t forget this either.

“We’ll perform at Hongdae Main Hall at year-end so please come a lot!”

If possible many people watching is good right?

How strong the power of broadcast is, recently those waiting to see our busking were hundreds unit.

Well, if only a little time flows the topicality will die down, but clearly among them someone will become a fan of band culture with this experience.

Anyway we prepared very full-scale in various ways and thanks to frequent practice could have high completeness performance preparation.

Time flowed diligently and it became year-end and Band Slam’s day came.

Somehow the chest pounds.

“Hey, Cha Seoha are you nervous?”

“Huh? No, just.”

“What? The expression is a bit strange?”

At Heo Junseong’s question roughly mumbled but in fact a bit nervous.

It wasn’t the performance itself that made me tremble.

Because Band Slam was our first dream that I stole in the past life.

At the thought of being able to realize that again couldn’t calm at all.

“This... is excitement.”

“That damn excitement nagging... Don’t make a mistake in the song and do well.”

“What useless worry is that?”

This degree of trembling is the first after first singing in front of Kim Jihu.

Like that we packed the instruments and gathered in front of Hongdae’s Main Hall.

“Wow, here really after a long time.”

Kang Min seemed to be recalling past days.

“Lee Doyoung are you nervous? Look at this guy! Fully scared?”

“No, no! This is exciting!”

“Why are there so many excitement parrots in this team?”

“Because of Cha Seoha.”

“Cha Seoha this guy also excitement?”

“Jerusalem?”

“Huh?”

“What did you say?”

“...?”

“Alright, put away the bullshit and let’s enter.”

* * *

The unique damp atmosphere of the underground performance hall overwhelmed us.

A completely different feeling from the comfortable broadcasting station stage.

Not a place frequently come but somehow a feeling of finding the real arises.

In the performance hall one team was in the midst of rehearsal.

In the audience seats a few other teams were sitting waiting.

I was all people seeing for the first time but people doing eye greetings with Kang Min were quite visible.

As expected Kang Min is the celebrity of the indie scene.

“Don’t get scared.”

Meanwhile Heo Junseong’s muttering was heard from the side.

“Didn’t get scared?”

Kim Jihu answering there.

“Don’t let the momentum break...!”

“Ah really annoying what is he saying alone repeatedly?”

Seeing the nonsense getting severe Heo Junseong seems nervous.

We like that lightly greeted the lineup we encountered and headed toward the console.

“Dohun hyung!”

“Oh, Min came. Are you Oktap?”

“Yeah, guys greet the host Nam Dohun hyung.”

“Hello!”

At Kang Min’s introduction me and friends greeted.

“Yes, nice to meet. Rehearsal order is right after this. After that team ends you can go up.”

“Yes, understood.”

Like that we sat in the remaining seats of the audience and waited for the turn.

The team doing rehearsal now looked quite aged.

Doing well.

The vocal’s capability is also outstanding and each instrument’s harmony is comfortable.

And the vibe of comfortable yet strong attraction the playing music gives.

Music where depth is felt.

Such a band not seeing light on one hand the thought of regrettable arose.

“Hey, Kang Min, long time?”

“Hello noona, almost 1 year right?”

“Right we saw at last year’s Band Slam and couldn’t see.”

“Ah, was that our last? Really been long.”

Kang Min happily greeted acquaintances sitting around.

Shared recent status and also played pranks.

In the band community there are quite many people cursing us, and clearly some among them also added there.

But well, while calculating such things one by one how can we be active?

If only smiling in front of eyes it’s colleague.

No, is it too idol-like thinking?

Perhaps band players with strong ego might not care much about others.

I also don’t know everything about the band scene.

“Alright, worked hard. Next team Oktap please wait.”

At the host’s voice we stood up from the seats.

* * *

The rehearsal of the band union performance has quite long running time.

Because every team has to do instrument setup and tuning.

We finished the rehearsal and decided to resolve the meal nearby.

“Don’t you get tired of hamburger?”

“How can this health food get tired?”

“Health food?”

“Bread, vegetables, meat, cheese. All health food right?”

Hearing Heo Junseong’s method other logic didn’t feel like wanting to reply.

“Uwa, want to do the performance quickly.”

Lee Doyoung said while flopping on the table.

“That reaction seems in the middle of fear and excitement.”

“Yeah, tremendously anticipated. While also scary of making a mistake.”

“After doing rehearsal all tension released. Did you see people surprised looking at my guitar playing earlier? Did you see. Hey, Kim Jihu did you see!”

“Didn’t see.”

“You, can’t see that? Ugh pathetic.”

“Yeah, yeah. You look a lot.”

While proceeding the rehearsal I also saw.

People surprised were quite many and people looking at us containing various meanings were many.

I also anticipate like these guys.

When we first met Lee Doyoung’s skill was much behind and Heo Junseong didn’t know how to look around.

Naturally Kim Jihu had many complaints because of that.

If standing on this stage with the skill of then probably would have suffered embarrassment and come down but now is different.

Wanted to quickly show our appearance grown several times compared to then.

On exactly that dark and brilliant stage full of only reals.

* * *

30 minutes before audience entrance.

At Hongdae’s Main Hall many crowds were lined up standing.

People who brought CDs to receive signatures from the singer they love were also visible.

Someone also brought saying they’ll receive signature on the guitar.

“Ah, 30 minutes left.”

“Ah want to see quickly.”

“You, said Band Slam is the first?”

“Yeah, after entering the indie scene the performance itself is the first.”

“Wow, entrance being Band Slam is this a curse or a blessing?”

The fans waiting for the performance held the pounding heart and only waited for the entrance time to approach quickly.

“But strange.”

“What?”

“I’ve been coming for 3 years but today audience is tremendously many.”

“Oh, yeah? Originally fewer?”

“Seems about double last year.”

“Surely band boom is coming!?”

“That might be a bit hard.”

“Um, acknowledged.”

Band Slam’s audience number was 150 people two years ago, last year about 200 people.

Compared to that this year much more people were waiting.

“Well, anyway if audience many good.”

“By the way can all enter?”

“Ah, doesn’t seem possible...”

At the audience number that suddenly increased for some reason existing fans were only puzzled.

* * *

Audience entrance ended and finally Band Slam’s curtain rose.

In the audience seats filled without room to step expectation and excitement were melted in the air.

For a long time music flowed and in between the audience’s murmuring wandered the performance hall.

Finally the music subsided and the lighting darkening.

And Oktap who appeared.

“Waaaa!”

“It’s Oktap!”

“Cool!”

“Good-looking!”

Cheers pouring as soon as confirming Oktap’s face.

Still had to do instrument setup so Cha Seoha held the mic and started doing ment.

“Hello. We are Oktap.”

“Waaaa!”

“Wow, does Band Slam originally have this many people coming? Tremendous?”

Cha Seoha leisurely scanning the audience seats.

No sign of nervousness could be found.

Rather a leisurely smile was full on the face.

“Ah, today’s performance will be fun, did everyone eat?”

“Yeees!”

“No!”

“Ahem, what do you do coming here without even eating. Now we’re going to jump tremendously.”

“Hahahaha!”

“Stomach will be very hungry is it okay?”

“Yeees!”

“It’s okay!”

“No, we ate hamburger earlier? That guy there is a hamburger parrot? The kid holding the guitar.”

Cha Seoha said pointing at Heo Junseong.

“Hey! What’s wrong with hamburger!”

Heo Junseong shouted with voice without even mic.

“Hahahaha!”

“See? If cursing hamburger he flares up? Weird kid.”

“Hahahaha!”

If telling an ordinary rookie to do ment on stage they would do next song explanation, or team introduction.

Such banal talk but from Cha Seoha an absurd level of leeway was felt.

He was not doing formal ment but communicating with the audience.

Like that instrument setup ended.

“Alright, everyone ready?”

Oktap exchanging eye lights.

“We released a single! After watching our performance today if you like search the title and listen!”

“Yeees!”

Bolstered by the audience’s answer Cha Seoha shouted into the mic again.

“Oktap! Let’s go! Cruise!!”

Kang Min’s cymbal rang strongly four times and the first song started.