-Whoa, what’s with the VCR quality right from the start... The taste of big-company money is insane... Looks like LE did spend some money after all.
-The Great Saven has arrived ㄷㄷㄷㄷ
-I’ve never watched a stage like this before, but they’re so goodㅠ I’m already so excited for two title stages in a row.
-Dohui speaks so beautifully... She said she spent hours thinking about what to say ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Why is she so cute?
-Sera’s vocals are insane... The whole concert hall is just ringing...
-Sera and Seoyun are seriously amazing. Even with AR, their live vocals cut right through.
The reactions posted in real time during the concert were driving the fans who had failed to get tickets crazy.
-Ugh... Should I really buy a scalped ticket? ㅠ (Photo) The price is absolutely ridiculous, and I seriously want to kill that scalper.
-Looking for a ticket transfer... There won’t be one, right...? But is there anyone who can’t go because of unavoidable circumstances...?
-Only 9,000 seats at Olympic Gymnastics Arena, seriously ㅋㅋㅋ Sigh, they went to all the trouble of renting a big venue. If this was the plan, they should’ve done three days at Jamsil instead.
Those reactions only made the fans watching in real time even more excited.
Fans livestreaming through recordings and cellphone videos, as if teasing everyone who couldn’t be there.
-(Photo) Gasp, looks like the cover stage is starting. The VCR is showing the members planning the setlist.
-Wow! Looks like the girls prepared “a lot” of unit stages.
-Ah, seriously ㅋㅋ So who’s in which unit?
└They haven’t shown it yet. I think they’re about to reveal the first stage.
And shortly afterward, the traffic on the feed posts suddenly surged.
That was because Dohui’s VCR video announcing the start of the cover stage appeared on the screen.
-Fuckfuckfuckfuck, I’m finally seeing this in person... Is this really happening? Is my wish coming true?
-I heard Dohui’s playing the piano right now?
└Why am I the only one who can’t see it ㅠㅠ
Of course, even at a moment like this, not every reaction was favorable.
-But honestly, Dohui being good at piano just feels way too much like a manufactured image... When she played that Mephisto Waltz thing last time, I honestly didn’t feel anything ㅋㅋ
└??? What do you mean, manufactured image ㅋㅋㅋ
└Do you perhaps not know what the Hageum Concours is? If you don’t, look it up. She won the grand prize there.
└It’s obviously bait. Just ignore them.
└Why are Saven fans so aggressive...? I’m just saying that’s how it sounded to me. Honestly, the only thing Lee Dohui has shown people is Mephisto Waltz. Did anyone here even know that piece before Lee Dohui played it? I heard it for the first time. Maybe she was afraid she’d get exposed if she played something famous ㅋㅋ... Of course, this is just my personal opinion. Don’t come at me for being mentally ill.
└What do you mean, mentally ill? You’re the mentally ill one.
└And anyone who’s studied piano a lot would know this. What are you even talking about ㅋㅋㅋ
└Have you honestly never thought that Lee Dohui won the piano grand prize because of her looks? Pretty people look good at everything they do, so she must have benefited from it no matter what, right? I feel sorry for the ones who lost the grand prize... They lost to some idol wannabe who’s majoring in classical music and acting all high and mighty about being an idol... This is what happens in a lookist society, sigh...
└Seriously, why does Dohui have so many malicious haters? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, ma’am?
└You admit she’s pretty, at least ㅋㅋ
The bait that would normally have been ignored was swallowed hook, line, and sinker when it coincided with what Dohui said next.
-Huh? She’s playing a famous piece!
In the VCR, Dohui had smiled and said that she would play a famous piece this time.
And the result was the same as the atmosphere in the concert hall.
Even though it was a low-quality live video rather than an official broadcast, the music itself came through clearly.
-I’m just going to buy a scalped ticket. Dohui, I’ll definitely go see you.
└We have to buy them quickly before the scalper prices go up in real time...
-Ticket transfer!!!! Transfer, fuck!!! You damn ticket transfer!!!
└I don’t think I’ll be able to go tomorrow because of personal circumstances.
└Really? Please transfer it to me ㅠㅠ I’ll definitely pay you separately.
└(Photo) That’s why I came today ㅋㅋ
└Fuck you.
└This is so exciting.
-Please add a third day. Please, please, LE. I won’t act up, I swear. Please.
In the end, interest in the concert only skyrocketed, and everyone’s attention moved on to the next cover stage.
-Ahㅋㅋㅋ Lee Dohui is sneakily cuteㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Is that really the same kid who was playing piano earlier? ㅋㅋㅋ
-Yeeun is so adorable too, even in the middle of all that ㅠ I seriously want to kiss her on the cheek.
-Gasp, an NND cover... I love it.
-Chaerin’s dance lines are seriously just 인정.
-But isn’t Sera totally unfair? She’s a visual main vocalist who can dance well too.
-Hana dances boy-group choreography so well, too. The way she puts so much power into it is insanely satisfying.
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is Seoyun and Harang’s one a rap song? Seoyun’s singing rap is so cuteㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Wow, but Harang really gives off that Haru Entertainment vibe... Like Cobble, her rap hits your ears hard.
At last, there was only one conclusion.
Saven had gathered nothing but the top girl-group members of this generation.
The fans began to cherish Saven’s remaining activities all the more.
***
The cover stages proceeded smoothly, just as they had prepared.
After finishing all the unit cover stages, including the solos, it was time for everyone to go back up together.
“We’re going up now!”
Sitting side by side on chairs, we rose onto the stage through the lift in the center.
ㅡWaaaaaaah!!!
And the dome before us was rippling with starlight, as though it were a planetarium with stars embroidered across the night sky.
Saven’s light sticks, made to imitate starlight.
I had no idea how many times I had seen this sight today, but standing at its center, I still couldn’t get used to it. My heart swelled.
In the meantime, Chaerin unnie took the microphone and calmly began.
“Hello, Shavenue. We’re all back up together. Did you enjoy our stages? I hope everyone had fun.”
ㅡYeeeeeees!!!
“Wow... That cheering...! It really seems like everyone’s enjoying themselves...!”
“Isn’t it all thanks to me?”
“What did you do, unnie?”
“I worked hard managing everyone as the leader. I even stopped Harang from playing games.”
“No, I told you I was only going to play one round and then stop.”
I took the microphone next.
“So which stage did you like the most?”
ㅡThe one Dohui was in!
ㅡThe piano!
ㅡThe title tracks!!
ㅡWe just love everything!!!
My heart tickled at those answers filled with such warm feelings.
But a professional never lets it show.
“So it was the piano, huh? Heh.”
The members’ expressions turned cold.
“What are you talking about? They said my rap was the best.”
“I liked Dohui acting cute...? Or maybe my vocals. They made the whole dome ring.”
“No! Me, me! I sang really well! They said they liked me...!”
Of course, this was the perfect opening for Yeeun unnie.
“I don’t think I heard anyone say that, Yeeun unnie.”
Harang unnie picked up the setup I had started.
“Yeah, I didn’t hear it either.”
“Nooo! Why are you only doing this to meee!”
As laughter filled the air at Yeeun unnie’s adorable reaction, Kim Seoyun took the microphone and sighed.
“Sigh... Everyone, our members are a little immature. You’ll understand, right?”
ㅡYeeeeeees!
Seoyun unnie raised her eyebrows proudly at the audience’s response, then looked at us and said,
“But separately from that, I’m not making it up. The answer that my stage was the best was definitely the loudest.”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Wow, unbelievable.”
“Huh...? Ah! I-I didn’t hear it either...!”
The commotion only stopped after Chaerin unnie let out a deep sigh and calmed things down by leading a simple game.
The atmosphere grew even livelier through our continued interactions with the fans.
Chaerin unnie took a calm breath, then looked at me and nodded.
I nodded back.
For some reason, Sera unnie had puffed out her cheeks and was glaring at me.
‘What? Why?’
“We have a song we prepared now.”
As Chaerin unnie opened her mouth, the lights gradually dimmed.
Meanwhile, the area behind us began pouring out a bright light.
Chaerin unnie’s voice came from the screen behind us. An image of Chaerin unnie appeared on the screen.
[Hello, Shavenue. You must all have been disappointed that we never had a fan song. Since fan songs are so meaningful, we actually wanted to try composing one ourselves.]
And then me.
[So we worked really hard right up until just before the concert and finished composing it together! You’re probably wondering who wrote the lyrics, right?]
Our leader, Hana unnie, appeared on the screen.
Hana unnie looked at the camera while scribbling on a piece of paper with a pen.
[The lyrics I wrote... Um... Ah, this is embarrassing. It’s just that every day spent together with the members and Shavenue is filled with excitement... So I tried to capture those feelings. I never thought a day like this would come to me. It’s embarrassing to say... but thank you, truly.]
Harang unnie sat on the floor of the dorm with a notebook open, a pencil between her teeth.
[What? Are you filming me right now? What am I going to write? Um... I just want to give Shavenue the same support I’ve received, or something like that? Yeah. That.]
The members appeared one after another.
[I... honestly don’t have much confidence... But all the members like me so much... and all of you who support us like me so much too... Hng...]
Yeeun unnie started crying in the middle of filming the VCR.
[It feels like you’re always with me? Like this kid, Lee Dohui. She’s actually more supportive than you’d expect for the youngest. Of course, I know Shavenue is a hundred times more supportive than Lee Dohui, right?]
[I’m a thousand times more supportive.]
[Actually, I’m ten thousand times more supportive.]
[One hundred million times.]
Kim Seoyun and I started bickering in the middle of filming.
[Um... I started because I just liked singing... but now I really love everything. It’s amazing.]
The VCR passed through Sera unnie at last.
Then it returned to the composing room, with Chaerin unnie and me.
[So of course, when we composed the song... we made it while picturing Shavenue in our minds. The title is...]
An intro beginning with the keyboard rang out through the dome.
Guitar and bass riffs.
The sessions Chaerin unnie and I had played ourselves.
And finally, an exciting beat, our lack of skill made up for with instinct and effort.
The song’s title appeared on the screen.
There was no more time to look at it.
I had to take the microphone and turn my head toward the fans.
‘Huh...?’
When I turned around, the lights in the venue had suddenly come on.
‘Is it an accident...?’
For a moment, I couldn’t hide my confusion, and my pupils trembled.
But I soon realized that the fans were holding something different from before.
From the ground seats all the way up to the third floor.
Pink slogans filled the entire space.
“Ah...”
‘Come to think of it... the third season of Jeodol ended around this time last year.’
All of us had been so tense and focused on preparing for the concert that we had completely forgotten the first anniversary.
The realization had come out of nowhere.
The fact that nearly ten thousand people were congratulating us over something that was, in truth, nothing particularly remarkable...
At that moment, it really felt like I was among the stars.
‘Of course, a professional never lets it show...’
[Just make the expression you like best and smile]
[You and I, so fascinating, every kind of sight]
But perhaps I was still closer to an amateur.
Because as I sang my part just as I was supposed to,
the lyrics of the upbeat song struck me twice as hard, and my eyes grew hot in an instant.
‘I made the fan song upbeat so I wouldn’t end up crying...’
[Scatter starlight over yesterday, when everything was dark]
[Today, you and I embroider the stars, what an extraordinary thing]
The unnies’ voices trembled too, as though they felt the same way.
It was so incredibly joyful to welcome our first anniversary while singing the fan song I had written.
But then—
“Oh! This kid Lee Dohui is crying!”
‘Fuck, Kim Seoyun...’
Even though their own eyes were red,
they teased me.
[When your starlight and mine touch]
[The whole universe becomes ours]
“Our maknae is so cute... What do we do...”
They patted me and pulled me into their arms.
[You and I, with everything made special]
[Before we knew it, we became the stars]
“Yeeun unnie will wipe your tears...!”
Having my tears wiped by Yeeun unnie, who for some reason seemed especially happy,
was the most humiliating thing of all.
‘Mom... I miss you...’
And when I happened to look toward the special section,
and my eyes met Mom’s—
I suddenly didn’t miss her all that much.
‘Dad...’