NeoNara || TXT || taebin || yeonkai

2017, DAY THREE
Sunday, August 20, 2017 5:02 PM

The lights start out low. Soobin stands, seemingly alone in the middle of the stage. The sounds he is making with his launchpad are simple, orchestra samples that build upon one another, almost playful in their execution. They are simple, bounce back and forth, and it almost reminds Taehyun in this moment of a hip-hop song.

The vocals are also in the launchpad for this song, and Soobin presses the button and lets it go.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it
Look what it's done so far

There is a tentative air hanging over the crowd. This is Polaris Rider's song — well, in the EDM community it is. Soobin knows Polaris is watching from somewhere in the crowd, perhaps from backstage. He continues his launchpad work, sampling different instruments and other songs around the lyrics to the Rainbow Connection.

What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me

He weaves in samples from the next song as Taehyun turns around.

And oh.

The view.

Taehyun knew Soobin planned the beginning of the show this way on purpose. If Soobin was busy distracting the crowd with his launchpad playing, then Taehyun could enjoy several seconds of uninterrupted crowd-gazing.

This. This is what he has dreamed of for years. He has played bigger crowds, sure, but not a home crowd quite like this. Soobin planted the dream in his mind that he could play the biggest stage at NeoNara, and now, here he is, with Soobin, on stage, with all of his fans out in the crowd. And he has a few seconds to enjoy the view before he has to catch up to Soobin.

It's all too much, he considers. If it has to end for a while — then let it go out like this, this soaring feeling, like he's flying above the crowd, Soobin's launchpad the wind beneath his wings. It takes his breath away.

Remember?

Taehyun laughs to himself. Of course. I remember the night we met. You took my hand, and it was love at first sight.

It's the beating of your heart they really want.
Everything will be right again.

Taehyun turns his attention back down to his computer, starting the file for the first song of the set. Soobin continues his launchpad work as the strings and synths come in softly, building and building until the crowd can't tell who's playing what.

Then, the lead synth of Particle Arts cuts in, and the roar from the crowd is immediate. Not everybody knows this song — not everybody knows that the anonymous artist is actually relatively famous within the EDM community — but the presence of a synth like this means the show is really starting.

When the drop hits, it's technically at a half beat, but Soobin adds extra bass from his launchpad, turning Particle Arts into a four-on-the-floor EDM banger. The crowd eats it up, on their feet, hands raised. Taehyun allows himself to bob his head for a bit, clinging to the decks with his right hand while his left does all the hard work. Soobin, meanwhile, is intently focused on his launchpad, doing way more bobbing and general moving around.

Taehyun changes the song, slowly, and the audience doesn't even realize Particle Arts has morphed into Language before it's too late, the opening synths strike, and there's more cheering. He lifts his head just long enough to see a beach ball sailing through the air, but it is batted back toward the crowd long before it hits him. He catches a glimpse of a sign that says MARRY ME KING SOLOMON and laughs, because that's never happening, as well as a whole group of something shining — until he realizes it's a bunch of Star One stans who brought their K-Pop lightsticks to his rave.