Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The single included song Cruise rang out as the first song in the performance hall.

As soon as it started Kang Min’s drums splitting into 32 beats.

On top of that rhythmic bass and flashy guitar intertwine.

Basically light but with complex composition Cruise.

Because of the progression of the songwriting popularity had a feeling of falling a bit compared to <​Rendez-vous>.

But a song whose energy alone didn’t fall behind that.

Cruise that with that intensity alone created a much more popular feeling than <​Rendez-vous>.

The intro pouring intensely without notice.

At the same time Cha Seoha literally started running around the stage.

“Wow, waa!”

“Kyaaak!”

“Uwaaaa!”

Cha Seoha’s body movements exploding in an instant and the intensity of the music.

The audience unknowingly shouted cheers and started jumping in place.

Waves spreading at the tips of the feet

The sun shattered far away

The wall blocking is now gone

We run out

As the first verse started the proportion of melody sharply decreased.

Only kick drum and bass, guitar’s backing, keyboard’s sparse comping remained pouring everything into the rhythmic feel and made one associate tension.

Navigation of the wide sea.

The first verse containing the emotions right before that.

It was such an atmosphere that our adventure would start soon.

Audience entered Cha Seoha’s eyes.

Audience clasping both hands tightly and shining eyes.

People clapping or entrusting their bodies to the rhythm and nodding were also visible.

Natural but definitely the atmosphere was different from busking.

Even the rough wind becomes a song

The sea becomes a path

Fate calls us

We will navigate

As it entered the pre-chorus the instruments started building up.

Drums and bass added velocity to the consistent rhythm.

Kim Jihu’s piano directed dramatic chord progression.

And Heo Junseong’s sensory guitar stepping out following the piano’s top line.

Cha Seoha gradually put strength into the vocal.

Soon the chorus will start.

That powerful and energy-overflowing moment.

At the thought of playing and singing that section Oktap’s members felt a slight uplift.

We Cruise, we Cruise tonight

Crossing the endless sea

We Cruise, we Cruise tonight

We don’t stop, we are free

The pre-chorus ended and in a fleeting moment all sounds subsided.

At a very perfect timing all instruments and vocal burst out at once.

“Waaaa!!!”

And at the same time the cheers of the audience together.

Among them there were also people following and singing the song.

Cha Seoha’s piercing high notes and Heo Junseong’s light tone guitar unisoned and made excellent harmony.

At half-bar intervals Lee Doyoung’s bass and Kim Jihu’s keys formed sections and achieved sensory direction.

All that proceeded on Kang Min’s solid drums.

Cha Seoha singing on the friends’ perfect ensemble.

In a moment he felt the front of the eyes becoming distant.

His head was full of numerous IFs.

Among those numerous ‘what ifs’ the worry of what if this regression is a dream was also included.

What if when waking up in the morning it’s not the house lived in as a child but a high-end penthouse.

If this is all a dream how should I live ahead.

Grandma?

Lee Doyoung?

Oktap and my dream?

But decided not to worry about such IF from this moment on.

Our dream not achieved in the past life.

Going to Band Slam and announcing our existence to the band scene.

Now coming it was merely one of the small crossroads passed toward success.

In the midst of achieving that precious our dream.

Because that’s reality.

And, the front of the eyes becomes clear again.

The audience cheers.

While listening to our Oktap’s music.

This is reality.

Clear reality that won’t change with any IF.

We Cruise, we Cruise tonight

Crossing the endless sea

We Cruise, we Cruise tonight

We don’t stop, we are free

Crossing the reality that will endlessly unfold.

Oktap will run toward freedom without stopping.

Toward clear reality not if!

* * *

Oktap’s first stage was being watched not only by the audience but also by people inside the waiting room.

On the monitor installed inside the stage was caught in full shot and transmitted.

Unlike the noisy stage side only silence hovered in the waiting room.

Meanwhile someone’s appreciation broke the silence.

“What, they do tremendously well?”

Oktap’s first song Cruise had the power to draw attention.

In the early part of the song everyone appreciated the song as if possessed.

But in the waiting room full of artists soon evaluations of the song started popping out.

“What, that guitar and bass skill increased?”

“When they came out on broadcast it didn’t seem that degree...”

“Strange those two string players were the worst clearly...”

“Wasn’t it just a bit better for high schoolers?”

Among them there were already people who encountered Oktap through broadcast, or Banwol Park busking.

The Heo Junseong and Lee Doyoung they knew were just decent for age.

At some moment those two had grown scarily.

“Is that kid playing keys a major? Seems to play a bit?”

“Vocal is the weapon this team.”

“Wow, look at Kang Min’s form still?”

“Seems to have become better?”

“Yeah, right seems right that became better.”

“Skill difference is a bit but first the harmony seems good?”

“Ah, acknowledged. Harmony is very good.”

Such reactions started blooming one by two in the waiting room.

In such opinions there was neither malice nor favor.

Just naturally floating when an artist listens to music.

That is merely something like occupational disease.

And other reactions following.

“Has the kid playing bass not held the instrument long?”

“The song is also just popularity plastered. Not my taste.”

“Definitely roots are a bit none.”

“Why did a visual band come here, are there that few people?”

“Traitor sucking what.”

“Kang Min?”

“Yeah.”

Of course opinions full of malice were also popping out.

Among them there were also many who until a little while ago were exchanging friendly greetings with Kang Min.

The people in this waiting room now are about 20 people composed of the first part performance team.

Someone was jealous and someone also admired or longed.

There were also people who just disliked because of rumors circulating.

That Oktap was excellently doing the stage was a fact and the majority acknowledged.

Whatever the reason those kids were creating a decent stage compared to career was a fact.

“What... But of course they have to do well right?”

Meanwhile someone’s voice mixed with malice stood at the center of the waiting room’s murmuring.

“Anyway it can’t be helped right?”

* * *

“Thank you! Until now we were Oktap!”

“Waaaaa!”

“Love you!”

“Wow! Shit! Don’t go!”

“Waaaa!”

Tremendous cheers followed Oktap’s exit.

Oktap went inside the waiting room but the audience’s aftertaste was still together.

“Wow, crazy freaking fun.”

“No freaking good. Celebrities are different after all.”

“Is it celebrity?”

“No? Ah, don’t know?”

“Ah hope they do encore.”

“Was going to go after only seeing Oktap but have to see more too fun.”

“I’m going. Seeing Oktap is enough.”

While exchanging with the next team the audience’s murmuring and the music Nam Dohun played filled the quiet.

Oktap like that very successfully decorated this year’s Band Slam’s opening stage.

* * *

When Oktap returned to the waiting room the later order band members waiting encouraged saying worked hard.

Really did best running around and singing.

Probably the best I can put out at the current level.

We regulated breathing and sat in the seats.

“Hey, everyone worked hard.”

“I, don’t know well how I did.”

“Want to do again...”

“Damn. Made a mistake on one key touch.”

“Hey, one degree no one knows.”

“Can’t tolerate.”

“Disease disease.”

While chatting among ourselves someone approached our side.

“Um, watched the performance well.”

“Ah, yes, thank you.”

A man who looked about mid-20s.

A person seen just brushing by during rehearsal earlier.

Roughly hearing in the waiting room seems the vocal of a band called ‘Destruction’.

“Min you entered a tremendous place as the rumor?”

“Ah, Hyeontaek hyung, thank you. Everyone are friends working hard.”

“Looks like it, as expected if a place entered after leaving Skydiver skill has to be outstanding.”

Skydiver is the band Kang Min was in right before entering Oktap.

“Anyway today was really excellent. I’ll keep watching from now on.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Something is a bit strange.

‘Tremendous place as the rumor’, ‘place entered after leaving Skydiver’, ‘keep watching from now on’.

Intention is felt in a few words.

This seems like seeing the energy fight frequently seen when going on group talk variety among idols in the past life.

* * *

Like that Band Slam proceeded in a quite excellent atmosphere even after Oktap.

A few teams fell far behind in skill compared to Oktap.

Some teams also showed off experience and depth that Oktap didn’t have.

There were also teams emitting full of guts rather than musicality and in some meaning far surpassing Oktap.

Like that various teams presenting excellent stages Band Slam could continue good stages while appropriately maintaining that tension.

If there was one regrettable point it was that too many audience left after only watching Oktap’s performance.

They were people whose purpose was seeing Oktap not fans of the band scene from the start.

Naturally ones who didn’t know the culture itself that watching the audience seats until the end is courtesy.

There was no malice in their actions.

But someone was bound to dislike such a phenomenon.

The last order of part 1 was band Destruction.

Similarly while instruments were being tuned the vocal Im Hyeontaek started doing ment.

“We are appearing at Band Slam for the fourth time this time. This many people coming seems the first time I’ve seen.”

“Waaaa!”

The audience answered with cheers.

“But everyone seems to have busy things so regrettable that audience decreased a bit compared to early.”

The audience shone eyes and looked no matter what they said.

Existence on stage is that kind of thing.

“Oktap? Seems like fans of the people who performed at the beginning earlier. As expected idol trainee band so many fans.”

The audience who heard those words started murmuring.

“Ah, what it was idol trainee band?”

“Didn’t know? Those guys came out on broadcast too?”

“Somehow good-looking.”

“Ah, idol band? Hmm...”

“Hul, then soon debut too!”

“But why is idol here?”

Various reactions were popping out.

“Well, anyway because the face is good-looking. Everyone please cheer a lot for Oktap debuting as idol!”

“Yeees!”

Im Hyeontaek didn’t know why he himself spat such words.

However what’s certain is that once saying it the thought that he did well arose.

Daring mass music guys setting foot in the sacred band scene.

Couldn’t forgive.

This minor genre had to remain forever as serious music.

That was my belief and wish.

Can’t tolerate dirty foreigners infiltrating paradise.

I have rolled diligently in this bottom for over 10 years.

On the other hand Oktap was a thoroughly trained visual band.

Musicality or fame...

Even leaving all that honestly the stomach just hurt.

Because the feeling of the efforts oneself has done until now being denied.

Anyway, no matter what anyone says there is no fault in my remarks just now.

“Then we’ll let you hear the first song!”