Chapter 828: Is This the Land of the New Black? (4)

Daegwallyeongmyeon, Pyeongchang County, in the thick of Olympic preparations.

"Whoa."

When we visited Alpensia Resort around sunset, it had completely transformed into something dazzling.

When we came last year, it felt so empty that I’d wondered, “They’re really holding the Olympics here?”

Now lighting and all kinds of structures had been installed.

"Wow."

Jiho rubbed his padded sleeves and said,

"Goosebumps. When I came last year, I was like, they’re holding the Olympics here? But now it’s seriously bursting with Olympic vibes."

As we passed the resort decorated with colorful lights like Christmas, all kinds of things caught our eye.

Statues of Soohorang and Bandabi set up everywhere.

And even a bizarre naked statue wearing what looked like a giant capsule over its head.

"Hm?"

We whipped our heads around.

"Wait. Did I just see that right? Why is there a statue wearing some weird capsule on its head...?"

"It’d be even scarier at night."

The strange statues standing at attention grew distant as we blinked.

"Nice."

Junhyun pressed one eye to his film camera viewfinder and captured the Olympic stadium area.

"Like Jiho said, it really feels like the Olympics are right around the corner."

"Yeah."

I’d known in my head that the Olympics were happening, but seeing it in person made it finally feel real.

The Olympic stadium drew closer.

And at the same time, my heart started racing.

"Fuu...."

My breath trembled from the tension.

As Biju quietly covered the back of my hand with his gloved one, our vehicle entered the Olympic stadium grounds.

While that was happening, Manager Minsu looked at the side mirror and said,

"Looks like we shook off all the paparazzi."

"Yeah."

I turned back with the younger members and smiled.

Thanks to the police controlling traffic near the stadium, we’d managed to shake off the vehicles carrying stalker fans and paparazzi.

"Alright, let’s get out."

I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the vehicle.

A Pyeongchang Olympic Opening Ceremony staff member who had been waiting greeted us and lifted his radio.

"Control room. This is the stadium entrance. Piano has arrived."

-Confirmed.

For security reasons, it seemed my code name was Piano.

While the younger members laughed and said, "Hi, Piano," the staff member guided us.

"You must have had a hard time getting here! I heard you filmed My Hometown Now in Pyeongchang today?"

"Yes."

"How was it? Did the smokescreen operation work?"

"Hm...."

We looked at the air and laughed.

"No one believed it."

The staff member burst out laughing.

"Well, I wouldn’t have believed it either. Showing up in Pyeongchang to film the day before the opening ceremony."

"Right."

"Wooju, how’s your condition? [N O V E L I G H T] Are you okay today?"

"Yes. I deliberately conserved my stamina."

When the members were fishing, I stood in the back with my arms crossed, and aside from eating, I minimized my movements as much as possible.

Just steady wrist stretches so they wouldn’t freeze up.

I sniffed lightly and looked around.

"Everything’s perfect except the weather. I’m a little worried about catching a cold."

"It’s freezing, right?"

Even with the long padded coat and the fur-lined hood pulled up, I could feel the cold through my whole body.

The wind went whoooosh—if this were Seoul, it felt like even shabby signboards would’ve blown away.

The staff member said with a grim expression,

"Because of the weather, the mood today was brutal. The wires and stage equipment kept swaying in the wind...."

"That’s really dangerous."

"Yeah. The weather bureau says tomorrow should be fine, but honestly, believing them at face value... anyway, it’s complicated."

I couldn’t hear more details because of internal matters, but I could tell how difficult preparing the opening ceremony was.

The expressions of the staff passing by looked as worn and gaunt as we do when we’re preparing an album.

We soon entered indoors.

"Oof."

We took off our masks and sniffed.

"Now I can finally breathe."

"It’s a bit better inside."

It wasn’t exactly warm, but even this was something to be grateful for.

While we sat waiting in the waiting room the staff had guided us to, Jiho pulled out his phone and burst out laughing.

"Wow."

"What?"

"Look. My phone turned off."

The screen, fogged over with condensation, had gone dark.

Jiho said,

"The people who made this phone only thought about California weather. It shuts down every time it gets cold."

"You could just use a different phone like me."

"Yours takes bad selfies."

"Bad?"

I immediately took a selfie and showed it to him. Jiho shut his mouth.

Junhyun smiled warmly.

"Maybe the problem wasn’t the phone, but the face."

"......."

As Jiho puffed warm breath onto his phone—

The staff member who had left to get our ID cards returned.

"The General Director is calling you. He’d like you in the control room."

"Yes."

We passed through the maze-like interior of the stadium and boarded the elevator.

We soon arrived at the top floor.

There, we passed through a secured corridor guarded by police.

"Hello."

"Huh?"

We gently greeted the startled officers and entered the control room.

"Wooow...."

It looked similar to a music broadcast station.

In the dark control room, complicated consoles and monitors emitted light.

We greeted the staff wearing headsets and handed out the coffees we had brought.

"Thank you."

Film director Kim Ikhwan, the General Director in charge of the ceremony, took the coffee and set it beside him.

The others had a similar atmosphere.

Normally at a broadcast station, people sip it right away, but—

Music Director Kang Manseok, whom we’d previously worked with on the Slip OST, smiled and said,

"I’d love to drink it. But what if something happens after I do?"

"Ah."

"We’re all eating different foods too. It’s such an important event."

If they all got food poisoning together, there’d be no answer.

While we were talking, the General Director gestured for us to come over.

"Wow."

Through the glass window, the full view of Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium spread out below.

The stage equipment had apparently been removed for now; only soldiers were visible in the arena.

"Oh...."

Young soldiers in their early twenties, wearing earmuffs, were diligently clearing snow.

The General Director said,

"There was a bit of a snow squall today. If we leave even a little snow there, it gets incredibly slippery. Our technical director slipped before and fractured something."

"I got ten stitches."

"Anyway, the weather conditions are really... sigh. I shouldn’t even start."

He seemed to have accumulated a lot of resentment toward the weather.

The younger members pressed their faces closer to the glass and looked at the soldiers.

"It must be freezing."

"Mingi hyung, can we send them something warm to drink or eat?"

Manager Mingi said he’d look into it and stepped away.

The General Director continued.

"The reason we called Wooju and NewBlack here is so you can get a feel for the stadium. It’s too cold to go out and look around, so I thought it’d be better to grasp the atmosphere from here."

"Thank you."

"I heard singers need to adapt to the atmosphere of a venue. Like actors, right?"

"Yes. That’s right."

Every venue has its own kind of air.

Once you get used to it, the performance comes out better. There’s a reason concerts are usually best on the final day.

"First, I’ll explain your route, Wooju."

"Yes."

"If you look over there, there’s a lift."

He explained the overall stage route, starting from rising up on the lift.

I recorded and took notes on the important parts.

"After the IOC President gives his speech and the declaration of opening is made, Wooju will appear for the final performance."

We’d gone over the performance many times in video conferences, but being here in person felt different.

After carefully listening to what the General Director and other directors said—

"We don’t have much time, so rehearsal will have to move quickly. Can you do that?"

"Is the schedule tight?"

"We have to rehearse the cauldron lighting at night. The runners need to coordinate one last time."

"Ah. I see."

It seemed there was a rehearsal for the final torch lighting, the most important part of the opening ceremony.

The highlight of the Olympics, carried out by Korea’s top sports stars.

I placed my hand on my chest and said,

"I’m really nervous."

As I exhaled in small trembling breaths, the directing staff smiled and encouraged me.

"You’ll do well."

I just nodded quietly.

Basement level one of Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium.

After passing through spaces filled with steel frameworks, we finally arrived near the lift.

"Oh."

A grand piano sat atop the lift.

When a staff member adjusted the switch, the lift made a piiii sound as it slowly rose and descended.

The staff member said to me,

"The ceiling on the way to the lift is low. Taller people might hit their heads, so please duck when you go in."

"Okay."

"You can’t get hurt."

While waiting for the performers who would rehearse with me, I asked,

"Can we go up for a moment?"

"Of course."

We boarded the lift with the younger members and slowly rose.

Out of habit from concerts, the younger members crouched down as soon as they got on, and we exchanged smiles.

We slowly stood up as if taking our entrance pose and looked around the stadium.

"Wooow...."

It was nothing like the empty feeling I’d seen last year.

The lights installed in the stands shimmered and moved, and the white floor suited for an ice show welcomed us.

It felt like a kingdom of snow.

Only now did it feel like we were truly at the Olympics. Goosebumps ran down my arms.

"It’s amazing...."

Biju said in awe.

"We’ll be standing here for the closing ceremony. And hyung, you’ll stand here tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"Wooow...."

Looking around the roughly forty thousand seats, I painted a picture in my head.

Royal families, prime ministers, and top-level delegations from each country seated in the VIP section.

Athletes filling the seats below.

Domestic and international audiences packing the stands.

And—

Hundreds of millions of viewers around the world watching it all.

"......."

I swallowed and covered my face with both hands.

Feeling the damp scent of my gloves as I let out a muffled groan, the younger members burst out laughing.

"Hyung. It’s okay. You can do it."

Jiho placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Do you know why I’m not worried?"

"Why?"

"Because it’s not my job."

"Junhyun."

"Aaaah!"

Junhyun, who had promised to be my hands and feet today, immediately punished Jiho.

Then he smiled at him.

It was an outrageous remark, but I appreciated the effort to ease my tension.

"Should we go back down?"

The younger members nodded.

The wind wasn’t normal.

The director had said this used to be a drying ground for pollack to make dried pollack, and the wind truly was fierce.

When we descended on the lift, the performers who would match breathing with me had arrived.

"Huh?"

"Huhhh?"

"Huh?!"

Instrumentalists and dancers in traditional attire stared at us with wide eyes.

Then their mouths curved up to their ears.

"Wow!"

"Oh my! Hello! So it’s true! NewBlack really is performing!"

"Wooju is Piano?! Long time no see, us."

Even though we were clearly meeting for the first time, they spoke as if we’d seen each other yesterday. I nodded.

"Yes. I am your Piano."

"Wow."

They excitedly said among themselves,

"I thought so. Who else would perform Answer if not Wooju?"

"Exactly."

"We had so many guesses. Wooju would come. No, a classical pianist would come. Wooju’s schedule is so busy."

I asked them,

"How did you rehearse without me?"

"We practiced separately with the piano set up."

It was my first time at the actual venue, but not my first rehearsal.

We’d rehearsed in a separate space at KINTEX in Ilsan provided by the Olympic committee.

I’d heard they practiced on-site.

"For forty-five days?"

"Yes."

The instrumentalists and dancers rubbed their noses and smiled.

"Not every day, but often."

"We probably knew Answer before anyone else in Korea. Our mouths were itching to talk."

"Right. At first, the song was so good we thought it might be the Olympic theme. Then we found out it was Wooju’s song and were shocked. It’s insane...."

Hearing they’d rehearsed for over a month, I instinctively clasped my hands politely and said,

"Please take care of me today."

"Just trust us."

...they said confidently.

But I saw their legs trembling.

Realizing it, I smiled warmly.

"...You’re extremely nervous too."

"It’s our first time performing in front of an audience this large. The biggest we’ve done with traditional music was about a thousand people."

As they mentioned their numbers, everyone’s gaze turned to me.

"I’ve done sixty thousand. At Sangam Stadium."

"......."

They bowed to me politely.

"Please take care of us, Wooju."

"We’ll be your junior underlings for the day, so please lead us well."

We were supposed to support each other, but I’d suddenly gained dozens of underlings. I stared blankly into the air.

The younger members wore satisfied smiles.

"As an executive of the underling squad, I welcome our new underlings."

"Waaaaa!"

I thought we were doomed and stretched my wrists.

Loosened up my body.

In the tense atmosphere, I finally took my place atop the lift.

The staff had laid hot packs on the grand piano bench, and as I sat on the warm seat—

The directing staff’s voice came through my in-ear monitor.

-Now, we’ll begin rehearsal.

Control room overlooking the Olympic stadium.

As the director in charge of the opening ceremony issued instructions, General Director Kim Ikhwan carefully surveyed the stadium.

"Okay. No issues."

He told the technical director,

"Since sound might leak outside, don’t send it out to the field of play. In-ears only."

"Yes, Director."

Soon, the partial rehearsal began in earnest.

First came Seon Myeongju’s music.

After the performances accompanying his music—

"Countdown. Three, two, one. For today, treat this like the actual performance. Everyone, stay focused."

At the opening ceremony director’s words over the headset, the lift slowly rose.

The image of a handsome young man in a padded coat sitting at the grand piano was captured on camera.

"Good shot."

As the directing staff meticulously checked how many times to cut to the camera—

Everyone swallowed in tension.

I hope he does well.

They hoped he would do as well as he had at KINTEX.

After Question, the father’s music, ended—

The son returned with Answer.

The moment Wooju placed his hands on the piano and began to play gently, the staff cheered.

That’s it.

With fingers gliding gracefully, Wooju began playing with full force.

The dancers and instrumentalists of traditional music joined in.

As the vibrant performance and music about prosperity and hope for the future filled the speakers, the atmosphere swelled.

Someone looking at the shining young man on screen said,

"He said he was extremely nervous, but you can’t tell at all."

"He exaggerates."

Like someone lost in the music, Wooju played the keys, occasionally communicating leisurely with the performers around him.

A confident smile.

Soft hand movements.

It created the illusion that Seon Myeongju had returned.

"Wow."

The directing staff, who had expected a performance of one hundred, watched Wooju deliver one hundred fifty and smiled gently.

Director Kim Ikhwan’s fierce eyebrows relaxed.

That’s one less worry.

He put on his headset and spoke to those who had just finished the rehearsal.

"We’ll go through it a few more times. But first—"

He raised his thumb toward those looking up at the control room.

"It was good. Keep it just like that."

As cheers formed silently on lips below, he continued.

"And Wooju?"

The handsome man at the piano looked up.

Meeting those shining eyes, the director raised his thumb again.

"It was the best."

The young man at the piano finally broke into a wide smile and raised his own thumb.

Director Kim Ikhwan clapped.

"Alright! Let’s run it again."

And so rehearsals repeated like the real thing.

As they continued, the anxiety that had filled the directing staff slowly melted away.

It was hard to explain exactly, but... the feeling was good.

Beautiful piano performance.

A great song.

Choreography and instruments in harmony.

Smiles formed on the lips of those watching the stage and monitors.

The feeling is good.

It was the day before the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Daegwallyeongmyeon, Pyeongchang County.

On the eve of the Olympics, delegations who had entered the athletes’ village tossed and turned all night in their beds.

Police officers, public officials, and Olympic personnel stayed up through the night finalizing meetings and inspections regarding safety threats, including terrorism.

The entire nation felt an indescribable excitement—and a trace of anxiety—at the news that the Olympics were about to begin.

Whoooooosh—

The wind blowing from Siberia struck the Taebaek Mountains and hinted at a snow squall.

While all concerned worried about the weather and couldn’t sleep—

As if aware of everyone’s wishes, the fierce wind gradually began to die down.

At the same time, the dawn sky slowly cleared.

On the monitors in the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium control room, a special bulletin from the weather bureau appeared.

[Weather Bureau Bulletin] As of 5:35 a.m., minus 1.7 degrees Celsius.

The warmest day of this winter.

On the day of the Olympic opening ceremony.

A miracle of weather came to Pyeongchang.