Backstage, after finishing our performance.
“Hah, haah…”
The members were so out of breath that their breathing kept breaking off.
Of course, there was also Hana unni, who was perfectly fine and speaking in a teasing tone.
“Girls, what are we going to do if your stamina is still lacking? Don’t you think you need to practice more?”
In the early days after our formation, everyone would have been busy freaking out at Hana unni’s words, but not anymore.
“It’s because you’re the only one dancing half-heartedly, unni.”
“Agreed. Kwon Hana’s leader qualifications are hereby revoked.”
If anything, Chaerin unni and Harang unni were busy teasing Hana unni instead.
“Jeon Harang, you keep speaking informally to me these days?”
“So what~”
“Uh-uh… calm down…! Stop! Halt! Kwon Hana, cease your violent actions!”
Once everyone had more or less calmed down.
“All right~ Let’s head back to the waiting seats~”
Hana unni grabbed Harang unni and began walking ahead of us.
Meanwhile, outside, the MC was continuing with the remarks for the next award.
—This year, countless global stars were born, and many records were newly broken. In that sense, it would not be an exaggeration to call this year the golden age of K-pop.
As we made our way back through the narrow backstage passage, habitually greeting the staff, the staff returned our greetings and complimented us.
In the middle of that, I felt a hand tapping at the tail of my ponytail.
“No, I got hit by your hair in the middle of the stage~”
It was Seoyun unni, speaking in a nasal voice.
“What’s with the nasal voice? Why are you suddenly like this?”
“Hmhm~”
Since the choreography for “Rhapsody” involved big movements, if I danced a little too hard, my hair did tend to whip around severely.
“But what can I do when my hair’s long? Cut it into a bob for me, then.”
“No. Our Dohee looks good with long hair. If you really want to, get approval from Team Leader Sohyeon.”
“Then why did you even bring it up?”
“Dunno~”
Ignoring Kim Seoyun as she hummed through her nose, we calmly walked down the passage again.
And when we arrived at the door connected to the hall.
Cheers burst out, making the walls tremble.
—And who was the singer who set the greatest record this year?
“Please move quickly to the waiting seats now!”
The staff member in charge of the entrance seemed startled to see us and hurriedly guided us inside.
When we stepped outside, the presenter for the new award was just going up onto the stage.
We returned to our seats, being as careful as possible not to interfere with the filming.
Coral Blue was still seated to our left. The Coral Blue members told us our stage had been great, so I thanked them with an awkward smile and sat down.
At that moment, the name of the award appeared on the screen.
And this award was a grand prize.
[MusicWave Music Awards World Wide Record of the Year]
‘Not yet.’
On the screen, the five nominee teams for the record category grand prize appeared one by one through the VCR.
Four of them were boy groups, and the only girl group was Coral Blue.
Since Coral Blue appeared on the screen, I glanced to the side, and for some reason, Rira looked displeased.
Still, simply being nominated was incredible.
It was proof that Coral Blue had achieved records comparable to top-tier boy groups.
—Then, we will now announce the winner.
The presenter opened the envelope, glanced inside, and called out the honored name.
And sure enough, the group that took home the grand prize in the record category was.
—Congratulations. Night&Day.
It was NND, the boy group that broke records every time.
—Ah, I’m truly so, so happy to receive this award.
For some reason, my gaze went to Rira, who was clapping.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, Rira stopped clapping midway and mumbled.
“We won an award at the Billboard Awards.”
“Huh.”
“Your expression.”
“Huh…”
And not long after, a majestic orchestra resounded through the venue.
Onstage appeared Lee Seongu, a male actor considered one of the best actors in Korea.
—Hello, I’m Lee Seongu. I sincerely thank you for inviting me to such an honorable occasion.
[MusicWave Music Awards Song of the Year]
And at the same time, my heart began pounding in earnest.
—I am now at Line 5, Exit 2. Haha, fifty-two years old. Was that not very funny? But regardless of age, K-pop is becoming a culture that everyone, the whole world, can enjoy.
Lee Seongu was tossing out a brief little joke, but my heartbeat was gradually speeding up.
—I, too, had a truly enjoyable year together with these songs. I would like to express my gratitude to all the singers for creating such wonderful music.
On the screen, the songs nominated for the grand prize passed by briefly, and when our music video appeared, the cheers that erupted brought it all to a peak.
A pounding I could feel breaking through even the volume that should have been satisfying enough for me.
Without realizing it, I grabbed the hand of the member sitting beside me, Seoyun unni.
Seoyun unni’s hand was damp as well.
We kept our eyes fixed ahead and said nothing.
And finally, the presenter took a small envelope out from inside his jacket.
—It seems we can delay no longer. The song that received the most love this year. The grand prize.
Suspenseful background music spread through the venue.
—The winner of the 2023 MWMA Song of the Year is.
Everyone’s gazes turned toward us.
—Seven, “Unsatisfied.” Congratulations.
—Waaaaaah!!
Along with our song.
The sounds of fireworks and confetti bursting, the sound of cheers.
The members rose stiffly from their seats.
The members’ faces were still filled with bewilderment.
An indescribable emotion, even though we had all expected it.
And for some reason, I was sure my own expression looked exactly the same.
My head was ringing so much that I could hardly hear even the applause around me, and I leaned on Hana unni, who had wrapped an arm around my shoulders, as we climbed onto the platform.
We stood on the stage.
And accepted the bouquets and trophy.
While everyone was still dazed.
“Yes… We’ll greet you. Two, three.”
At Hana unni’s lead, the members naturally responded.
—I’m in seventh heaven. Hello, we are Seven.
But even Hana unni, who had led the greeting before the acceptance speech, was not calm.
“Yes… First…”
Hana unni kept tearing up, apologized, sniffled, and then brought her mouth back to the microphone.
“Yes… First… It is an honor for us to receive such a great award. Until a song of the year called ‘Unsatisfied’ was born, so many people…”
In that way, Hana unni mentioned every single person she could, from the company employees to the staff, our families, and our fans.
“And our members. I am so grateful and thankful that I became the leader of a group with such wonderful members.”
And when she mentioned the members.
Every single member was crying.
“Thank you once again. We will become a Seven that works hard…!”
Of course, the speech was not over yet.
After finishing her words, Hana unni stood me in front of the microphone.
Still feeling dazed, I was pulled to the center.
It had been planned.
They had told me to give a speech because I had led the preparation of our final song.
But for some reason, as the members’ hands patted me, the image and speech I had prepared by writing all night were being erased from my head.
Instead, emotions overflowed.
So I decided to just speak from the heart.
After a brief silence, I lifted my head.
When I gently smiled with my eyes, a stir instantly ran through the audience seats.
Unlike the members, my face probably had no tear tracks at all and looked not only clean but even sparkling.
“A few days ago, I tried writing down all the people I wanted to thank on paper.”
After pausing for a moment, I spoke quietly.
“I stopped after writing about 341 people.”
Laughter sounded here and there throughout the hall.
The members, on the other hand, seemed flustered.
Because this was not the speech I had prepared.
Still, as if they understood why, they gave small laughs even while crying.
“I think that is how much consideration we received from so many people—so many that I lost count while counting.”
“So I thought about how we should express our gratitude, how we could repay it… but it seemed even more difficult.”
“But… because I know just how great this award is, there is one thing I want to promise.”
For some reason, my eyes began to sting.
“Later, when you look back on Seven. When you think of us.”
Then I could no longer hold back the tears from falling.
“So that the people who helped us, who loved us… can feel that they were glad to have liked this group…”
So I carefully recited each word, one by one.
“Always, wherever we are, I will become… a member of Seven… who works hard.”
Ah, and there was one last thing I really wanted to say.
“Doa, your unni won a grand prize. Pretty cool, right?”
* * *
The year-end season came to an end.
【Following Last Year’s Rookie Award, Seven Wins This Year’s Grand Prize, “MWMA Song of the Year”】
「On the afternoon of the 28th, the 2023 MWMA Awards were held at Tokyo Dome in Japan. The grand prize winners of the day were NND and Seven.
First, the group Night&Day (NND) swept three grand prizes at the 2023 MWMA Awards—Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Record of the Year—holding their place at the top for the sixth year.
Seven then drew attention by winning a grand prize following their Rookie Award last year.」
【[Comprehensive] “Grand Prize” Seven Wins Triple Crown… 4th-Generation Girl Group Also Dominates Golden Disc】
【If Seven Appeared, They Swept the Grand Prizes—“Proof of an Unrivaled Complete Girl Group” [X+Music Diagnosis]】
【NND Sweeps Grand Prizes for 6 Consecutive Years… Seven’s Grand Prize Win Brings “Tears” [Comprehensive]】
Seven swept the triple crown by winning Digital Song of the Year at the MusicWave Music Awards, Watermelon Music Awards, and Golden Disc.
And Dohee finally turned seventeen.
“Wait, unni, you’re an adult?”
“Good grief, you high schooler~”
“Ah.”