NeoNara || TXT || taebin || yeonkai

2015: Friday, Part Four

2015, DAY ONE
Friday, August 14, 2015 8:07 PM

Taehyun and Soobin disappear backstage as Beomgyu and Waeng continue to play an encore, deftly switching into some crazy half-time rendition of Blue Orangeade. "How are your ears?" Soobin asks.

Taehyun looks up at Soobin. "They're okay? Why do you ask?"

"I just know you don't like listening to loud things for long periods of time. I gotta check in on my boyfriend."

At the mention of the word boyfriend, Taehyun blushes. "Oh my God, I'm fine, it's nothing..."

"I am sorry to interrupt, but are you Waeng's promoter?"

Soobin turns around. There's someone else in the tent now, a blonde man a little bit older than the both of them wearing a red jacket. Soobin shakes his head. "I'm not, but..."

"He's probably the closest thing you're gonna get," Taehyun says.

"I've been following the band for a while," the man says. "You played at Webster Hall recently, didn't you? It was a sold out show."

Soobin blushes. "Yeah, it was. It was kind of crazy."

"Let me cut to the chase. My name is William Arrow, and I am on the A&R team with SOS Records. I know that Beomgyu is aversive to record deals with big companies." Soobin notices immediately that this white man pronounces Beomgyu's name right on the first try. "While SOS has been big for decades, our CEO is more interested in the possibility of having Waeng under our independent rock label, Slap That Records. I'd like to speak with him and the band if we can get a chance."

Soobin thinks to himself for a moment. "We're actually all headed together as a group to the Polaris Rider set after this. I know that's really important to the guys. So if you don't mind waiting until after that, or if you want to meet in the morning..."

"I am fine with meeting in the morning," William says with a smile, shaking Soobin's hand. "How about you take my card, and you message me in the morning when they're ready?"

"Perfect."

William hands Soobin his card, then gives the two space as he goes to another part of the tent. Taehyun peeks around Soobin's arm and pauses. "Uh, Soobin...you probably don't know who that actually is..."

"Hmm?"

"It just hit me when I looked at the card. Is that Mack Arrow, like, from the D.V. Crew?"

"From..."

"Yeah, they probably weren't popular in Korea. But they were ALL over the place in America back in the day. They were a co-ed group during the boy band and girl group days. They were JUST under NSYNC and Backstreet in terms of popularity. I didn't know what had happened to them after I broke up! Guess I know now."

"That'll be you someday, getting talked to by A&R agents."

"It would be helpful if I could play a decent show."

"Taehyun." Soobin puts his hands on Taehyun's shoulders, forgetting about the card, forgetting about the A&R guy, forgetting even that Beomgyu and River and Waeng are all still jamming on stage. "Don't get in your own head. The past is gone. She literally isn't here. Nobody's going to stop you from getting up on that stage tomorrow and owning it. The only person who can stop you is you. You got this."

"He's right, you know."

Both Soobin and Taehyun jump. Polaris Rider has gotten up from her seat from across the tent, and she is standing right next to them. "Are you performing tomorrow?"