“Yah,” Yonghwa called, clapping his hand as he stepped inside. All the members including Ren turned their head. “All set??” asked him eagerly, grinning all the way to which he got an expected nod and smile from all of them.

They were now at the backstage, prepared everything. Jonghyun was strumming his Red PRS guitar softly while Jungshin did it to his bass and Minhyuk was tapping lightly his drumstick onto his lap. None seemed to be nervous and they obviously been waiting for this time to come. She allowed herself a giggle looking toward bunch of guys in front of her.

There was a light knock on the door.

“He came.” Yonghwa jogged and slammed the door open. “I didn’t know you’d come!” Ren saw him hugging someone from behind the door. She raised an eyebrow and threw the others a look. Jonghyun shrugged but Jungshin and Minhyuk stared at the door smiling.

Yonghwa dragged him by the shoulder.

Mizuki.

Another sigh escaped . Jonghyun noticed this and he was about to get up from his seat when Ren held him. “It’s fine.” Ren gave him reassuring smile. “Today is your big day. I don’t want to ruin everything, okay…” muttered her softly, giving a soft pat on his thigh. He fell silent and nodded quietly.

“Ren!” called Yonghwa. “Show him where to sit later, k?!” he winked and Ren nodded, avoiding eye contact with Mizuki. She was aware Mizuki had been staring at her questioningly. No wonder, she spent a night at the warehouse yesterday and didn’t bother to inform him at all. She didn’t care anyway.

“Good luck.” said Ren with a smile, ignoring Mizuki’s presence and shifted her gaze at them one by one. “Show me your best.” added her. Jungshin and Minhyuk tossed their hand against each other.

“Aren’t we always?!” squeaked Minhyuk gleefully, showing his eye-smile while Jungshin nodded in agreement.

Ren laughed when Jonghyun squeezed her hand tight. She looked at him who was now smiling gently at her. She nodded and squeezed his hand back encouraging. Yonghwa clapped his hand indicating it was time for them to go up on stage. Junghshin and Minhyuk jumped on their foot and gave Mizuki a light tap on the shoulder, muttering “wish us luck!” while Jonghyun simply ignored and walked passed him.

“…”

Ren stood and walked pass him too and whispered. “Follow me.”

_________________________

Ren and Mizuki managed to squeeze up to the front line. Lucky Ren was with him, otherwise Mizuki wouldn’t get a better look. After all years, this was the first time Ren had company at VVIP seat. Not that no one could afford the ticket price, but the members agreed to keep the best spot for herself only. She always insisted but they never listened to her.

The light had suddenly went off and CNBLUE sign shone brightly on the stage, causing a long and high-pitched scream around them, calling each member’s name. She scanned her surrounding with wide smile. It was getting crowded compared to their previous concert. And she was happy! Mizuki seemed fidgeting and just stood there looking at the woman behind VVIP seat in surprise.

Ren gestured him to sit beside her. “Are you planning to just stand there?” shouted her and Mizuki came and sat next to her. “Here.” She tossed her a bottle of mineral water. “Just in case you need it.” She smiled.

CNBlue came on stage and the scream got wilder. They greeted the audience with bright and happy smile on their face, inclluding Jonghyun. Not long, Minhyuk’s drum heard and the concert had started.

- - -

Once the band stepped up on stage, the whole atmosphere of the room changed. The stage lit up so brightly and suddenly that his eyes hurt for the first couple of seconds before they adjusted. Everyone screamed, charged with excitement and admiration, and there were banners everywhere, extravagant and colourful. 

The familiarity of the scene raised goosebumps across his skin. Once upon a time, he was the one standing on a stage like this, singing his heart out as thousands of people screamed in support of his voice, of his music. 

He remembered it like it was yesterday. 

And yet it was a world he had promised to leave behind the moment he chose to join the police force, be a bodyguard. It was a world he kept locked in a box hidden in the back of his mind, a world he sometimes missed. 

Sometimes he woke up with an itch to play music, to write, to compose, to create. Those days were bearable if only because he could just write out the melody in his head onto a piece of paper, could play the tunes on the old piano in the library down the street of his apartment. 

The days he woke up with the need to perform was a bit trickier, much to his discomfort. Those days were more difficult.

And right here, standing next to Ren, in an atmosphere that used to be his home… he couldn’t help but to miss it. 

Uncapping the bottled water Ren handed to him before the concert started, Mizuki tipped it to his lips to quench his thirst. He set the bottle down on his seat and glanced at the band on the stage. 

Their music was not exactly his style, but he could see why the band was really popular. He’d thought of them as familiar upon seeing them at the warehouse yesterday, but he wasn’t as familiar with Korean stars as he used to be. 

Still, CN Blue seemed like they were involved in some legally problematic circumstances. South Korea’s gun policy dictated that private possession of handguns was permitted as long as the owner had a genuine, proven reason of owning them, but it was usually quite restrictive, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the guns they’d flashed at him yesterday were illegal. 

His eyes on the stage, Mizuki thought about it a little bit more. How was Ren tied to the band? She had a VVIP seat and easily acquired one for him. And why the guns? What did they need it for? 

It was this kind of thoughts that plagued his mind until the end of the concert.