Towards the end of the concert, I stayed behind to watch Joonie’s solo—I had missed his performances. In a way, he was my idol. Behind the scenes, he was this hovering parent to our whole group. Constantly reminding people to eat, kept our crazy schedule on point… 

On stage, however, he became this entire different person: Sweet. It was his stage name, but I couldn’t help but think he had totally owned that name and given it a whole other meaning. Joonie was our lead singer, a sexy dancing demon with an unbelievably wide vocal range. Some considered me to be our group's lead dancer, but in all honesty, I was just hard-working. What Joonie had was pure talent.

I could’ve stayed there, watching him perform forever. But unfortunately I didn’t have time for that. So right before his solo was about to end, I scurried backstage to get my headset mic. I would need it for ‘Contrast,’ the next song on the setlist. The choreograph of the new song was way too complicated to deal with a handheld mic. 

Tae, Chris, and Do-hyun all patted my back when I walked past them, securing the mic in place. I barely noticed the others—I was in the zone. I knew this one had to start perfectly, as we hadn’t performed it live ever before. And I was the opening act. 

For Do-hyun, I’d give the song my absolute best.

When I entered back on stage, right from the middle entrance, Joonie was still interacting with the audience.

“So tell me, was it a good surprise we gave you this morning?” he asked, and the crowd replied with the loudest response I had ever heard. 

That still wasn’t enough for Joonie. “I can’t hear you!”

While the audience shouted even louder, I cracked my neck. Then took a deep breath and walked to the dead center of the stage. After giving the nearby stagehand my sign, I closed my eyes. 

“Minjae, ready, starting ‘Contrast’ in ten,” was said through the feedback system. Good, everything still worked perfectly. 

“That’s better,” Joonie hollered for the crowd. “Do you want to hear it live?!”

“‘Contrast’ in five,” the voice in my ears said. 

I showed the left earpiece in place, and most of the noise from the audience was immediately cancelled. Joonie said something else which I couldn’t hear clearly since I only had the music, my own voice and stage handler’s channels coming through the earpieces. 

Filling my lungs with air, I took my starting position. A lot of things happened at once; Joonie’s spotlight went off while mine lit up, the cue music started and the audience was stiff with anticipation.

The air was electric all around me, a new wave of adrenaline coursing through me. It felt like I exploded from within when I let out the first words, pouring my whole being to it. The choreo kicked in and I couldn’t have stopped moving even if I had wanted to. The beat went through my body like an electric current. I didn’t exactly just sing and dance anymore; rather, the music moved me and I merely tried to hold on for dear life.

Somewhere around the end of the opening and my part, the others had made their way to the stage. They became one with me and the music—we were a team. Or rather one piece of art compiled from five individuals fitting together like puzzle pieces. 

The chorus hit us like a lightning bolt.

It's nothing but trouble (will you fight or flight?)

We're running in circles (is it wrong or right?)

Our thing is starting to crumble (are you dark or light?)

You're making me gamble (pick your poison; black or white?)

 The beat dropped and I threw my head back, totally in some kind of trance. Do-hyun’s fingertips ran up on my thigh—only this time, I was one hundred percent sure it was him. His mere touch scorched my skin, leaving behind a burning trail. 

But when Do was about to reach my waist and lift my loose shirt for a little fanservice moment, Tae beat him to it from my left. Startled and surprised, I nearly missed the next part of the choreo. Not that it mattered—the whole love-triangle thing Tae was clearly aiming for, drove the GRiD Crew absolutely wild. Seriously, I could hear them even through the in-ear monitors blasting the background music in full volume. 

I couldn’t help but flash a brief grin towards Tae, thoroughly amused. He winked back at me, making the crowd grow even wilder.