Mnet Asian Music Awards is about half way through when a video starts to play over the screen at the stage. A black and white quality video starts of showing a Korean teenage girl looking sad; followed by several different mini clips of people – of different ages and countries – somehow all looking sad. One boy looks in his mirror reflection, crying when looking at his reflection and music starts to play. The video continues to show in the back and a loud cheering from the audience is heard as the ballad song playing is confirmed to be [I CRY].

The low lighting on the stage is turned to the centre of the big stage where Hannah is coming out from a lift in the stage, starting to sing with her head a little down, her voice soft and face-expression emotional.

*I see myself in the mirror, (naneun geoul-e jasin-eul bol su)

I can’t recognize my reflection (nae bansaleul insighal sueobsneun)

Who am I? (naega nugu nyago?)

Why am I alive? (wae sal-a?)*

Hannah sings with emotion, just as she always does for this song and she looks out over the audience, seeing to the back and to the front and the idols sitting there and she can imagine how the video behind her is beautifully shown. She looks small on the big stage, standing there with the soft lightning around her while the big spotlights are directly focused on her, and with the video in the background she looks like she is performing the anthem. She is wearing high heels, her legs are bare and she is wearing a long white buttoned shirt, and her hair is beautifully lying down her shoulders. She starts off singing with two shaky hands holding on to the microphone, but when she looked up at the audience she let go off one hand, her face-expression soft and sad – not looking as nervous as she feels.

It feels like the world is listening to her, no one shouting and her voice echoes clearly to the beautiful melody. She loves to hear the melody, she loves to sing and she isn’t embarrassed to perform it now as she was during the rehearsals. Hannah disappears in to the song, the melody and lyrics, her voice coming out like she wants and it goes up and down for the emotions, her face showing exactly the right emotion as this is a song that she wrote from her own heart. It is her words, her story. A little after half of the song, when she starts to sing the chorus for the second time, putting everything in to the emotion so maybe will start hurting soon, her eyes starts to get teary as it isn’t just her voice and the audio heard. For this chorus, the audience starts to sing along. It’s not that they are screaming along, but it is a beautiful joint in as if they are back-up singers and though the chorus is in Korean, the Hong Kong audience is singing along to every word. It sounds like a choir.

[CHORUS]*I cry (naneun unda)

These tears falling down my cheeks (ileohan nunmul-I nae ppyam-eul alaelo naelyeooneun)

True sadness, I cry (jinjeonghan seulpeum, naneun unda)

These feelings inside my chest (nae gaseum an-e ileohan gamjeong)

True feelings, I cry (jinjeonghan gamjeong, naneun unda)

These words comes from my heart (I dan-eoneun nae gaseum-eseo naon)

True words, I cry (jinsil-eun, naneun unda)*

Towards the end of the chorus, the camera films the idols sitting in the audience. Maria is sitting with her eyes focused on the stage, her eyes even more tearing than Hannah’s and audience gets lost in the singing to start screaming when seeing it. Maria doesn’t seem to notice anything though, as she is watching the performance with everything she got, feeling so proud over their youngest member who is performing a song from her heart and the audience is actually singing along. Big Bang’s G-Dragon is also seen focusing on the performance, not tear-eyed like Maria but focused. Hannah is nervous performing in front of everyone, and to hear the audience sing along she actually just wants to stop sing and listen to them, but she can’t really do that so she continues to sing, taking it all the way from her toes to try give her absolutely best in the performance. And the fact that she received the Best Vocal Performance Award is just giving her a lot of pressure to do well.

Her voice echoes on its own when ending the song at the end of the performance and the arena fills up with cheers and shouts and applauses when the song ends. Just like at rehearsal, Hannah runs off the stage once it has gotten black, not wanting to face any awkwardness up there all by her self.

Shyly she walks among the idols in the audience again, going to take her seat next to Julia; the group has changed seat and is sitting next to the members of EXO now. Hannah smiles and shyly waves to the fans there in the back before taking her seat, still dressed in her [I CRY] outfit. She has just taken her seat when she turns around to the fans wanting to grab her attention, and she happily waves to some fans. Her smile fades while trying to hear what one of the female fans asks her – totally ignoring Carolina trying to get her attention by caressing her leg, which is annoying – and when Hannah finds out the fan asks her in English how she is feeling, Hannah smiles brightly, her eyes almost disappearing.

‘Hungry’ she mouths for fun and puts her hand on her stomach in case that would help the fan to make out what she means, and she smiles when seeing the fan understands. Hannah giggles and turns her attention to Carolina, leaning towards Julia to hear what Carolina says.

“You were beautiful,” Carolina tells her.

Hannah grimaces; she can’t take compliments, and Carolina says them so often and mostly at the wrong times, so it doesn’t really mean much. But Hannah still smiles, happy it went well, and she sees Luhan lean forward some seats away when talking to one of s and he lowers his head for a cute bow when noticing her. It’s awkward to receive bows like that. What she thinks of now is that she just wants to get up and perform with her members, to perform [Black & White] and [-erase you-] with her four best friends. She is excited to think about it. If she has managed to perform a ballad all by herself on that huge stage, she definitely can perform with her group. They must do well.

Though Hannah focuses on what is going on at the award show, she totally misses what kind of award is being given when EXO’s name is said. Julia tells her it is some Best New Asian Artist or something while they are getting up on their feet, congratulating their juniors. Emelia, sitting closest to the EXO members, pats some of them on the back and she leans to the side to get a high five from Baekhyun and Hannah is smiling widely when seeing the polite and cute Tao even bow to the camera filming for the show. 5 Pieces cheers them on when seeing them walk up on the stage and even after sitting down they are clapping their hands lowly. A proud SM family, Hannah feels like when looking at Super Junior also clapping their hands.

In their speech – that Emelia is listening through from first word to last so she can give her opinion about it later – the EXO juniors mentions their SM Town seniors and some of the boys does hand gestures or looks over to the side where they are sitting. Hannah, obviously thinking they are meaning Super Junior because she just a second earlier had thought EXO was so familiar to Super Junior with the amount of members so she claps her hands happily again.

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It’s the turn for 5 Pieces performance. Everyone knows it as the ending is coming and most artists have already performed. The stage is dark, the screen gets on to show some shaky clips with a police radio and a shaky sound gets heard too of two police officers conversing through the radio. Spreading out on the stage, all parts of it there are dancers in matching outfits stepping up, though you can’t really catch it in the dark.

“We have a situation over here – call in reinforcement!” the first man’s voice is saying in English.

“What’s the problem?” the second voice is responding, but for answer the radio suddenly starts to give a messy sound; the other end sounds like getting attack with things falling and someone giving a grunt, as if it is a fight. Once it has gotten quiet, the second man asks what is happening.

It’s quiet at first, the audience also quiet when waiting for what will happen. “It’s the fighters return,” a female voice answers that causes a wild screaming from the audience. Everyone recognized Maria’s voice, only she can talk with a cool melody like that, her voice having such a wave in it. Fans are screaming so loud by hearing her voice and the stage starts to shimmer with light, dancers in matching outfit getting seen while a male’s voice from the not yet revealed song [WHO- I AM] says;

*Ladies and gentlemen

Stand up, ‘n salute

For the fighters return*

The dancers all give a salute after turning towards the centre of the stage at the ‘stand up’ part, and the screaming from fans are going two tones higher when 5 Pieces is making their appearance on the stage. They are standing next to each other, with confidence and filled with the charisma they are known for having as one of the strongest girl-groups. The girls are all wearing the special made black hooded drawstring waist coat in black with the beautiful white embroidery, and their clothes have changed from before. Maria is wearing a lace-trim yoke tank dress, like always showing off her model-like body and long legs with knee-high boots with heels. Emelia is wearing a red knit hoodie under the coat and a pair of lace-up detail skinny jeans in black, having her usual rock-feel in her outfit. Carolina is wearing a lace detail sleeveless top to an asymmetric-hem skirt, and her eyes are focusing straight forward as if she is going to be a goddess on the stage. Julia is wearing a drop-shoulder distressed cable-knit top tugged in at the front of her skinny jeans, hanging down over her a little under the open coat. Only Maria has her coat closed. Hannah is wearing a v-neck t-shirt with a wide elasticized belt showing off her figure to a pair of sheer-striped black leggings. Black dressed and y, they definitely fit the music that blasts on. A remix of [Black & White] start off, one of the popular up-beat dancing parts in the song starts off playing with the audience screaming out as 5 Pieces starts off in wild dancing.

*(This world is black, black, black, black, it’s black)

(My soul is white, white, white, white, it’s white) [Emelia + Carolina] Black and Black*

*(This world is white, white, white, white, it’s white) White and Black

(My soul is black, black, black, black, it’s black)*

Hannah is dancing with precise movements, all excited to do well. She got the energy and the cheering makes her smile with her eyes and the dancing is really fun and cool that she just can’t dislike doing it. Performing as if there is no life after this performance, 5 Pieces is showing their charismatic side while you can clearly see that this is what they want to do more than something they are paid to do. By the end of the dance remix, they sneak around to take their original positions, not taking time to stop though before Maria begins her live singing with a good voice and perfect stage presence – the audience shouting like never before.

*Hide your feelings well, the mind-reader walks in

I can see through your transparent mask

[Emelia] Tell me what’s wrong,

[Maria] Te- Te- Te- Tell me, Te- tell me what*

[Julia] *A young TEENAGE LOVE STORY, so forgotten among the rules

What is it … What made it …*

Hannah brings the microphone to , dancing softer than the others when starting her part.

*Cry, cry, cry, if your heart tells you to

Scream, scream, scream, if your heart tells you to

Go right when they tell you left, show them, show them*

It feels like a whole different part when she does the last line and gets a wild response over her side-kick move. Definitely, the absolutely best thing on earth is to perform with 5 Pieces like this. Though they are singing live, the one who is singing focuses more on that than the dancing just to not make the sound bad; and it does look good, because it is a charismatic song it just ends up making that person get the focus of not doing as everyone else on the stage. For the chorus it is some playback sound to fill in, which it always is, but for some reason Hannah thinks it sounds so good. And 5 Pieces love the stage acting, giving face-expressions and showing what they are singing.

Maria, as the lead singer who has a cold, is doing surprisingly well. She is professional, and it is because she wants to do well and show that even if she is sick she is great. After the second chorus, it is Emelia’s turn. Normally for her rap part everyone freezes in their movements for her to step by them while rapping, but for this remix everyone starts to head out on the round stage. Emelia starts off her rapping before starting to walk.

*Ye, ye, ha – pieces of one,* she starts off saying, putting her hand up in the air before walking, starting to move her hand while the impressive rapping begins with fans screaming their loudest over them heading closer to them.

*Welcome to my fantasy land (welcome)

Take your selfishness somewhere else, (kick you out)

I got no time for fools, open your heart and breathe in

Wrong is right, right is wrong, up is down and down is up.

Turn your head around, ah, turn your head (teach me)

Spin, spin, spin it around, yeah, just like that

Have fun, fool around, don’t bother about everyone else

It’s your turn to shine, step up on the stage (catch me)*

She tried to catch the camera filming in front of her, being out on the round stage by now and fans are screaming when the music suddenly makes a stop before a dance remix starts; Carolina and Emelia dancing next to each other, powerful and in synch. While the two of them are dancing like crazy for the dance remix sound, the next verse is slightly sung.

[Carolina] *Laugh with me ([Maria] yeah, that’s right)

[Emelia] Dance with me (yes, all night)

Just like that ([Julia] yeah, just like that)

[Carolina] Yes~! ([Hannah] Woo!)*

Hannah steps forward, sitting down on her heels at the front of the round stage, making fans shout while she is singing her part with a rough voice.

*How many times do I have to fall,

Just to learn that I can never stand straight*

She gets back up on her feet, her free hand on her hip before stepping back to turn to Julia.

[Julia] *Your words on my feet, [+Hannah] your eyes on my shoulder*

[Maria] *Ah~~*

[Rap, Emelia] *We’re all black and white, hidden within ourselves

So what if I’m different? So what if I speak my mind?

I’m proud, I am this and that, I’m so (yeah) great*

Emelia is doing her part while they are heading back to the main stage, Maria standing by herself and doing her highlight like the lead one she is before she hurries over to keep up with them. She doesn’t forget to keep her movements in synch with the music as they begin the chorus again, the ending of the song coming as they just need to sing the chorus two times.

The song ends like it always does with 5 Pieces standing next to each other, turning around with their backs against the world and hands on their hips, chests moving when breathing. Now when no camera can capture her face, Hannah drops the stage face-expression. She has been dancing so seriously that her back is hurting. Wearing heels for MAMA isn’t fun, but it looks good and because her members are strong, she is going to be it too. She is catching her breath secretly as her members while Carolina begins to sing in a loud and clear voice, emotional with no music and she doesn’t turn around, continuing to let her back face the audience.

*I am tied up.

The black walls of your heart is holding me.

I don’t want to remember you.

I don’t want you here*

The music blasts on, a dance remix of [-erase you-], and the audience had been screaming just hearing Carolina sing a part of the chorus so flawlessly but the remix music is so different that you can’t really make out what song it is. It doesn’t sound as it would do if Maria did it as Carolina has a darker voice, but it is still powerful and emotional. When the music started the ladies started to dance sideways while turning around, dancing in synch to the upbeat sound as male dancers are making their appearance. With light and long dancing footsteps everyone on the stage are moving around to the remix and in the middle, like emerging from the inside, Carolina takes a step forward to grab the attention even if she is surrounded by the others and she starts to sing. When she starts to sing you can hear it is the beginning of [-erase you-] but a remix is still heard in the sound.

*Like a shadow, you always appear on the hidden places

As if you were a spy, never let your eyes off me, no, not once*

[Hannah] *Like a wolf, you always know where I am, where I hide

As if you were a ghost, never let your eyes off me, no, not once*

[Carolina] *As the time goes by, the more I try

It doesn’t matter, nothing changes

Everything stays the same, I can’t do anything about it*

[Maria] *I cry, cry, can’t you see the reason

For these tears to fall, it’s your fault*

[CHORUS, 5 Pieces] *I am tied up, the black walls of your heart is holding me

I don’t want to remember you, I don’t want you here

It’s suffocating, the deeper it goes

Your love is hurting me, it’s suffocating me

I just want you gone, so don’t come back

I will erase you*

They do well! Through the whole song maybe her back hurts, but it isn’t something she hasn’t experienced before and though Maria’s voice is hoarse it is still great. Maria even pulls her coat down her shoulders as a tease for fans while Julia goes a step further by taking off her coat during the performance. It goes better than what it did at the rehearsal; maybe because of the audience and fans in front of them, but it is a great feeling.

“Two award if we count Hannah’s, and then a perfect performance,” Emelia is smirking when they are backstage, heading over to get back to take their seats. “I think Hong Kong is our lucky place.”

Hannah smiles, not as brightly as she has done earlier because of her back and that she has performed two songs so she is a little tired, but it is still a smile of satisfaction. She is proud over what they have achieved today, though the award show isn’t even over. They are all satisfied, and now they can’t wait for it to end so they can get some sleep. 5 Pieces takes their seats again, wearing their performing outfits and also wearing the special made coats that all five of them is in love with, and they enjoy the ending of MAMA 2012.

PSY performing is hilarious to watch. Maybe because all the idols on the side are dancing the horse dance, including 5 Pieces and it is a great ending. Hannah thinks everything is ending after PSY’s performance, getting ready to leave when Jackie Chan and a woman steps up on the stage, starting to talk. After that they have talked for a while, Hannah starts to laugh behind her hand, turning to Julia sitting next to her.

“I had forgotten about the last three awards,” Hannah laughs to Julia. “I thought it had ended.”

She laughs at her, entertained by that it explains that Hannah has been so restless. She has waited to leave; secretly wanting to go lie down on the floor with her legs up against the wall to rest her back. But it’s fine; she can stand another fifteen-twenty minutes for the three big awards to be handed out. And she like Jackie Chan, so she sits and smiles while watching him talk on the stage. Sitting in front of 5 Pieces now is EXO; everyone keeps shifting seats to be able to sit at the front and at the back and the many members of their junior group is tall, so Hannah leans forward to be able to see Jackie Chan on the stage between two of the heads in front of her. The tall person right in front of her sight to see Jackie Chan leans to the side to say something to the other one and Hannah pouts, upset.

Chanyeol turns around when seeing there is someone leaning forward and he gets this oh-I-realise-something face expression when meeting her eyes. “Am I in the way?” he asks her, his whole face talks with expressions.

“Just a little,” Hannah answers, not sounding too upset because it is after all EXO. She smiles when he shows all of his teeth in a huge smile at her, apologizing and moving a little to the side. “Not that much, Chanyeol.”

The first of the final awards to be handed out is the Artist of the Year award, presented by none other than Jackie Chan. He is hilarious. Just like Maria when she dances, but he is just so funny talking there. Jackie Chan and the woman on the stage are talking in English, looking at who the Artist of the Year is and they say it is big and they look like they are going to kiss each other as they are standing to one microphone before telling out who the winner is together:

“5 Pieces!”

Hannah, who has been smiling lightly while looking at Jackie Chan, can feel her expression drop and she looks at her members, seeing that they are also surprised but the surprising is fast turned into happiness and the girls stands up, smiling and being congratulated. Hannah hugs Julia before stumbling away from their seats, on the way being congratulated by the other idols, especially their SM family that is sitting there. She bows deeply to Super Junior and turns around to bow to those standing there before she sees it’s the EXO boys so they are the ones bowing at her but she still bows in habit. Kai takes out a hand after seeing Baekhyun do it, and Hannah gives them both a high five before bowing to … someone, and she is almost dragged by Julia up on the stage as the ladies are being congratulated for a little too long. A female voice is saying out all the different releases and activities 5 Pieces have had this year.

Jackie Chan actually makes sure to shake each member’s hand and congratulates them individually when letting the accept the award, and then Hannah turns around to bow to him another time while holding on to Julia’s sleeve before she turns back to her members, happily smiling and holding on to her friend’s arm when standing there and looking from her members to the audience. Her cheeks will hurt if she smiles much longer.

“Thank you!” Maria is saying in her different English, showing the award in her hand, and she continues in Korean. “We did really not expect to receive this award, so we are extremely thankful and we will continue to work hard and do our best to be able to show that all this love means a lot for us. I would want to thank our SM family, Lee Sooman teacher, our families home in Sweden that loves us from afar just as many of our fans are doing around the world, our managers and stylists, Chunho Appa, Park Hyekyung Oppa, Ji Hwa Unnie for helping us practice, all dancers who helped us on the stage here today, and all of the staff too… Thank you all so much, our Puzzle is the best!”

Carolina leans a little over Maria to reach the microphone too. “Also to our members, 5 Pieces, thank you!” Carolina cheers happily and laughs before continuing. “Puzzle, we love you all! Thank you!”

Emelia puts her hand on Hannah and Julia’s backs to make them bow when they are done and the girls’ waves before standing next to each other to bow while holding hands and they then head off the stage – Emelia makes sure to show her back with the beautiful coat embroidery of their name before getting off the stage. They go to take their seats right away, sitting there and giggling so happily to each other and trying to melt in that they got Artist of the Year award. Last year, they got it too, but that was the only award they got last year with [I Love You], beside one award at MelOn.

Album of the Year is already started to be presented, like always the two standing there talking a lot. Hannah is automatically clapping her hands when the nominees have been shown and the camera is filming members of Super Junior; she doesn’t really think of why she claps her hands, she just found it to be a good time. Or something. No, seriously, she is just carried away with the award show.

“And the winner of Best Album of the Year Award is,” the female actress is saying and she smiles when she has opened the card.

“I want to read out like that too,” Carolina randomly says next to Julia, making Hannah chuckle.

“5 Pieces!”

“For what?” Hannah asks in surprise when the woman calls out their name. Her eyes are big when standing up with her members, looking like she is just following them without knowing why.

“Album?” Julia looks confused too. “Our album?”

It’s not that they aren’t listening or being focused, it’s just that they can’t really realise what’s happening. Hannah then realises one thing. They are getting another award? Another grand award? A second grand award in one year? What’s going on…? Hannah is spacing out again, this time she looks like she is going to just break apart so Emelia embraces her, telling her to run. Run? Emelia grabs her hand and they run up on the stage, not that fast since they are in heels, but 5 Pieces are having fun listening to their song being played, the audience screaming over them winning and their reaction and the girls heading up to accept their second grand award. Hannah giggles when Emelia hands over the award the accepted a few minutes ago to her so Emelia can accept the new award.

The ladies all stands next to each other again, bright smiling faces and excitedly looking at each other and the audience.

“Thank you Hong Kong!” Hannah cheers in English when passing by the microphone to stand on Emelia’s other side.

Emelia starts off speaking in English; “like we said just a few minutes ago when accepting the award for Artist of the Year, we really want to thank all the fans around the world for giving us all this love. For this album we really worked hard and it is an honour for us to be able to accept this kind of award, thank you all for loving [Black & White], our music and 5 Pieces.” She then, as the good speaker she is, continues in Chinese since they are in Hong Kong; “we are very happy to be able to attend MAMA in Hong Kong and be able to perform in front of so many people, and we are thankful for the warm welcoming and love you have given 5 Pieces. Thank you!”

Julia sneaks forward next to Emelia this time, talking in Korean; “We would want to thank all the people that have helped out with the album; Melissa Allen, Jo Insuk, all the producers and staff, Lee Sooman teacher, our very own members for working hard to be able to show better sides for our fans and our unbelievable great dancers, and of course Puzzle is a big part of 5 Pieces, and also we would like to thank our seniors and juniors in SM family for taking care of us and helping us…” She turns to the side to the part of their family sitting on the side, receiving cheers from them and the audience. “Thank you everyone!”

When she steps back to let Maria say something, Julia and Carolina takes each other hands and jumps around in a circle of happiness, laughing. Maria thanks their parents and families before thanking their fans again and she motions for Hannah to also say something.

“5 Pieces and Puzzle, I love you!” Hannah cheers and laughs brightly when Emelia embraces her for a hug. “Music makes one!”