The fans of Destroy Six, who would be on stage in the third part, were buzzing with excitement.
Go Ye-won was holding her breath, watching the stage.
‘Will she come out…?’
Online, the fandoms of Destroy Six and Debonaire seemed icy, but Go Ye-won knew the truth.
A few months ago, when Destroy Six was targeted, she was certain that Do-hee Lee wouldn’t be wrongfully accused.
‘It was originally Chae Sun-woo’s reckless actions, so how could that be Do-hee’s fault? It’s his mistake for broad targeting.’
Of course, neither Chae Sun-woo nor Ian, who was sitting next to him, were her ultimate biases.
It was objectively a situation that could be seen through with insight.
‘But, leaving that aside, most of the ones going and terrorizing on Do-hee’s SNS or Debonaire’s YouTube are just trolls. There’s really nothing I can do about it. Domestic fans know the backlash can be dangerous; why would they want to build a bad reputation…?’
It was a frustrating time. Even months later, overseas malicious fans continuing their cyber terror were driving her crazy.
Of course, she knew it was also largely due to the ignorant domestic fans who either neglected the issue or fanned the flames.
‘Sigh…’
That’s why Go Ye-won was determined to support Do-hee’s stage as much as possible today.
‘Do-hee’s first solo stage!’
She had to admit, she personally felt an attraction toward Do-hee as well.
‘Today’s Debonaire stage was great too, and the stories fans share about her are lovely. Even her self-content is really fun.’
While she wasn’t a fan, these were the reasons she felt good about Do-hee, lost in those thoughts.
Suddenly, the spotlight blazed on.
In the dreamy light appeared an old piano.
Go Ye-won was surprised by that old piano with an untidy microphone attached.
‘What… what is this?’
But such thoughts vanished as Do-hee calmly walked onto the stage.
‘…Wow.’
Even though it was just an hour since the first part performance, Do-hee’s aura had transformed completely.
How to put it, the image of Do-hee that Go Ye-won was familiar with and well-known among K-pop fans was this.
The sunny girl who always shone bright with her smile, gazing into the camera as she stepped onto the stage.
That image had absolutely applied just moments before.
But now…
‘She’s totally a chilling, cold beauty…’
Yes, with her long black hair cascading down and one ear tucked behind, she was no longer just a cool beauty; she was a stark, cold enchantress!
That was a significant difference.
‘She looks pretty handsome, somehow…’
It was such a substantial change that it led to confusion.
‘Her real face looks purely feminine, but the vibe feels handsome…?’
Go Ye-won mused, then quickly nodded to herself, arriving at a conclusion.
Today, Do-hee wasn’t looking at the camera at all; walking with a pale face, there was distinctly a sense of lonely masculinity about her.
Moreover, her outfit, seeming to express monochrome, was just stunning.
‘Yeah, I really like this kind of outfit… The coordinator did an amazing job; I should praise them.’
A harmonious blend of classical elegance and modern rebellion in her look.
The top was a beautifully reformed suit with a loosely untied tie.
The bottom featured black stockings and short black hot pants.
Go Ye-won couldn’t help but admire it.
Indeed, while Do-hee’s photos were awesome, her real-life beauty was mind-blowing.
There was a reason why even people who looked like home mamas nearby were snapping pictures.
They didn’t even look like Do-hee’s own fans; they were fans of other idols, clearly.
Even though she was an idol home mama.
“But honestly, it’s not that surprising…”
Do-hee was already famous.
As a subject for other home mamas.
Honestly… I had a feeling that this time next year, her pictures would be plastered all over April Fool’s Day.
There’s a culture among home mamas to declare themselves daily home mamas by picking idols they admired on their SNS.
Meanwhile, Do-hee sat at the piano.
— So pretty!!
— Fighting!
Several oblivious voices rang out loudly, but…
[Ah…]
Do-hee simply stood at the piano, blankly staring at the keys.
‡‡‡
Then she just slumped over the piano.
Producing a cacophony of notes.
A somewhat bizarre act.
But… that’s precisely why everyone’s attention was instantly drawn in.
“……”
Even the oblivious voices that had been heard just a moment ago vanished.
And so the silence stretched for about 9 or 10 seconds as thousands of people held their breath.
Do-hee, who had toppled over without a hint of life, finally seemed to regain her breath, letting out a sharp gasp, and with both hands pressed firmly on the keys, she violently raised her body.
As if for a moment, she felt like she was drowning.
After taking one heavy breath, Do-hee’s fingers swept across the keys.
The stage, the beginning of the performance.
Arpeggio, hands and fingers darting towards the keys in an instant.
High.
Her hands were so busy pressing the keys that they seemed to start from above her head.
Of course, Go Ye-won, who had a crush on Do-hee, had watched her performance videos more than once.
There wasn’t a K-pop fan who hadn’t at least seen them once.
Do-hee’s winning performance at last year’s competition had over 20 million views.
What Go Ye-won felt back then was that Do-hee played wonderfully and beautifully like a picture.
“But now…”
It was intense. It was vigorous. The arpeggio, hitting down from overhead, was not just a simple continuity of notes but an expression of emotion. It was a physical manifestation of feeling.
The swift and intricate movements of the right hand blended with the strong bass line of the left hand, crashing down from above, and the keys were danced on in a wild, ascending arpeggio, bouncing back and forth about three times.
Each note chased after the previous, ringing in the ears like a wave.
‘What is this…’
And then, instead of arpeggio, a smooth glissando descended as one theme came to an end.
‘Feels familiar somehow.’
Most ears recalled the melody.
As Do-hee played a rising arpeggio three more times with all her being,
‘A feeling of ascent… madness.’
Kick drum sounds echoed in that place filled with the sound of the piano.
As Do-hee poured out her madness and anger, she beautifully smiled while presenting a lovely descending arpeggio with her right hand.
‘Wow…’
With an automatic gasp at the introduction, while people admired,
Do-hee quickly grabbed a microphone aimed at her head among several in front of her and beautifully sang in rhythm with the kick drum.
[In a story only I know.]
However, her voice was remarkably calm.
No, something was boiling inside.
Her voice was gritty.
[Just a story I know.]
Then, as if she could no longer hold it in,
The laughter vanished, and she slammed down on the piano.
[Bam! Bam! Bam!]
At that action, some white shards burst into the air.
“Uh…? The keys?”
The ivory fell, leaving only a wooden piece behind.
Yet, Do-hee’s hands returned to the keys.
[Can’t Speak]
And then Do-hee’s Alberto bass playing method began to unfold.
Not just in the bass, but in the right hand too.
Interlocking to create a stronger, more powerful main melody.
Finally, Go Ye-won recalled what kind of music this piece was.
“Beethoven! It’s the Moonlight Sonata!”
Is that why?
[That’s a secret]
As if asking, “Did you just figure that out?” Do-hee finished the lyrics and struck the bass notes with one hand.
[Bang! Bang! Bang!]
Then Do-hee’s performance became free.
[Sometimes tormenting me, don’t forget, the ghost that died]
The Alberto bass theme she was playing with both hands.
Now she seemed to want to create it with just one hand.
Though it wasn’t a Chopstick March, she lifted her fingers one by one, offering a lively melody even in the eerie atmosphere.
[Am I two? Did I take your place? Even I don’t know]
It was a bit… like spontaneous jazz. It definitely gave a jazzy feel.
But then, Do-hee’s performance stopped, and somewhere, an electric guitar sound came in.
[I elegised]
Do-hee’s voice changed abruptly.
[An elegy for another me]
Calmness disappeared completely, replaced by a voice that sounded incredibly sorrowful and aching.
But then, along with the piano, her voice seemed to swallow that sorrow.
[But still the pain is underneath, so listen to me.]
For a girl who grew up in Korea, her English lyrics were impressively pronounced.
In truth, that pain was just swallowed.
[This elegy, to be a man’s eulogy]
And now, she asked for this song to become a eulogy for the man she would forget.
[I’ll do my best, for your rest
so rest in peace, my fragment]
“I’ll do my best for you, so find peace. Rest well, my fragment, my piece.”
Those lyrics didn’t directly convey it, but Go Ye-won was already intuitively receiving it, and numerous thoughts rushed through her mind.
One of them was this.
“…Did Do-hee sing this well?”
Her tone was absolutely not something one could claim was innate.
There was no special technique involved either.
Instead, her musical understanding was outstanding. It was unwavering.
The emotion was deep. The appeal was high.
She knew how to bring out her unique tone. Somehow, her usual tone was even clear. Yet, the roughness in the lower range that had been critiqued was now appealing.
Why was it, contrary to what was known, so… so pleasing to hear?
So, no one made a sound.
Was everyone thinking the same thing?
Everyone held their breath.
However, as soon as the lyrics and song ended, Do-hee was once again quietly conversing with the keys.
Meeting the repeat. She was focusing on that arpeggio resembling the third movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
But it was just so good.
Playing that arpeggio clearly and powerfully.
[The sorrow]
[The reason only I know]
And then she spat out the lyrics for the second verse.
Spitting out the lyrics of a hymn.
[I elegised
An elegy for another me]
And from the sad chorus that began.
[So rest in peace, my fragment…]
Until reaching the end of the second verse.
“……”
It was so good.
But when it felt like the last note was drawn out completely.
No one could clap.
Do-hee continued to press the sustain pedal, and the last note she played lingered in the air.
Do-hee was slowly rolling up the sleeves of her formal jacket.
And as the limit of that sustain pedal drew to a close, the sound gradually faded away.
With her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, Do-hee began a free-form performance, as if she had rearranged the first part.
First, in the MR she had written herself, the sound of drums in the same tempo laid the foundation, over which arpeggios were layered.
But there was no longer a rule of three ascending and one descending like before.
The left-hand melody ascended, repeating both upwards and downwards three times.
Alberto’s bass playing style was showcased a little.
Then suddenly, she transformed the arpeggio into a jazzy feel. Jazz is all about improvisation after all.
Then it seemed like a hint of the theme from the third movement of Moonlight Sonata showed up, only for the electric bass in the MR to come crashing in aggressively.
The heightened emotion merely slid into glissando.
Mixing in some higher hits.
The need for improvisation was gone.
A melody rushing towards the end.
Before long, the broadcast camera wasn’t focused on Do-hee’s face or full body, but on those beautiful hand gestures.
Then, returning to the original theme.
This time, the arpeggio was stronger, stronger, stronger.
Descending notes strictly glissando.
Her whole body bouncing with impact.
How strong, that a few white shards scattered about.
And a few keys remained pressed down, not coming back up.
After finishing three ascending arpeggios like that.
She let all the sound rest with the electric bass.
Do-hee simply clustered along with the beat.
She slammed down on the piano.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Stronger than ever.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Some keys popped up as if they were loose.
Bam─! Bam─! Bam─!
[……]
And just like that, it ended.
With about seven or eight shards of ivory scattered on the floor.
After a brief moment of silence, a burst of shouts erupted.
But Do-hee… didn’t smile even for a moment, as if she heard nothing, and simply stood up.
With eyes that seemed a bit bloodshot.
She merely picked up two of the white ivory shards that had fallen below.
Yet cheers were still raging on.
And the broadcast screen continued to focus on Do-hee.
Placing two ivory pieces on the now-destroyed black piano.
Two straight ivories meeting at the top one-third point, crossing horizontally.
A simple yet symbolic meaning resembling a cross.
Thus, Do-hee, unusually, did not keep her gaze on the audience as she finished on stage and descended, simply walking off the stage.
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