“Hola, amor amantes,” Maria is brightly greeting the fans one by one in her loving Spanish, making both boys and girls stepping up in front of her blush. Maria smiles brightly to the boy in front of her now, beginning to sign the poster on the table she and her ladies are sitting by after just taking a quick glance at the other members sitting on her left side along the table.

5 Pieces’ second Samsung event today in Spain is in Barcelona, and after a successful event in Madrid where the ladies all had this strange feeling inside them knowing that their fans will never know what these past days have been like, the girls are still smiling and conversing in English with their European fans. Thousand of fans appear at the events, coming from all around in Europe, surprising not just 5 Pieces but the staff and police who are there to keep the order. There are so many fans, most of them there just to catch a glimpse of the ladies as they have heard the song [Daze] all the year while those who hold up signs and show deep emotions are the fans who know 5 Pieces since earlier, also fans of K-Pop.

Hannah keeps taking deep breaths during the day, trying to not go completely insane with all the feelings inside her to meet all these fans. Each time a fan steps up in front of her she smiles her widest at them, her heart filled with pretty flowers and really keeps her in a great mood. She is more at ease knowing no one seem to care about her family anymore, and that these people who step up in front of her believe in her the way her members do. 5 Pieces is sitting by the table at the event, signing autographs for the fans lined up on posters of 5 Pieces as a group from their Samsung commercial. Hannah smiles up at another face, this one of a teenage girl with traces of tears in her face, even holding some sort of small towel with 5 Pieces on it to cover , holding it in her hand.

“Hello,” the fan greets Hannah in Korean and Hannah can’t help but to smile widely because this girl in front of her is a westerner, but she tries to speak Korean with Hannah, continuing to say in a low voice; “I’m your biggest fan from Russia.”

“Russia?” Hannah can’t help but to sound surprised. The girl is really beautiful with long blonde hair and fair skin with big lips and a cute smile.

“Have you been in Russia before? You should come,” the girl continues to speak in broken Korean, but since Hannah has spoken in broken Korean before herself, she understands what the girl is saying.

“I want to come!” Hannah brightly says, signing her autograph and she laughs when the girl squeals.

“You’re so cute…” the girl says in Korean and Hannah lowers her head with a giggle, finishing signing and she looks up at the girl who keeps crying, her eyes focused on Hannah. The feeling fans give you is just so amazing, it makes her unable to stop smiling. “Thank you!”

“Thank you,” Hannah says back as the girl continues to the next member and Hannah smiles brightly to the next fan, but before catching the face of the fan she sees a very big lollipop shoved up between them. The colourful heart-shaped lollipop is held out until Hannah takes it, and she gets to see the girl in front of her in dark clothes and make-up but in her other hand she is holding a cute candy wrap in her hand; the wrap of plastic lets you see through all the different kind of candies inside and she holds that one out for Hannah too. Hannah giggles when she accepts the candy wrap, taking a closer look at it after thanking the fan who speaks in English to her.

Fans are amazing.

She is amazed by the life she is living, to have strangers dedicate themselves this much to 5 Pieces; to five ladies that just are on the stage performing, who love doing what they do. Maybe that’s why fans like them; they notice the dedication 5 Pieces put in their music and their performances, 5 Pieces’ dedication to their fans just to try give back to everything their fans do for them.

The last fan has passed by the ladies when their attention are turned to the big crowd in front of them, and Hannah smiles when her members begin to laugh next to her. Their fans are singing. At first it sounds like they are chanting but Hannah then hears what it is and she keeps smiling as their fans are singing the song [Daze] to them. Carolina reaches out her microphone over the table, moving her head to what the fans are singing. They sing the chorus to 5 Pieces before the crowd thanks 5 Pieces loudly in Korean, all together, and the ladies begin to applause their fans in amaze. They planned this; to sing and then thank them for coming. Hannah hides her laugh behind her hand, glancing at her members when blinking away the small tears in her eyes. Maria speaks for the team, in Spanish she thanks the fans that she call ‘love-lovers’ for coming and for loving 5 Pieces and Samsung (since Samsung brought them there) and especially for today’s event that has been very special to the ladies.

 

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Its a few days later: 5 Pieces have spent two days doing their different schedules as well as doing a photo-shoot for a SM Town Calendar, and today Hannah has been filming for the drama the whole day. Time is passing by so quickly; October has already started and Hannah has less than a month left of her drama filming. Though she spends the day filming, Hannah gets distracted whenever she checks her cell phone (which she does whenever they take a break) but once they begin filming she is focused again. Tomorrow morning the group is going to Japan, this time for their BLACK & WHITE tour, and though Hannah is super deadly excited to have their concert reach Nagoya, the girls are all mourning the death of a fan they met a while back – a teenage girl, who was lying in bed with cancer, had fought the cancer very hard this past month in hope she could get just a little better to come to 5 Pieces’ concert with her mother. Yesterday the ladies were told that she died this past weekend, and right away the girls gave a call to the mother and some other calls too, to show their respect to the young girl and her family and also to pay for the funeral – it’s the least they can do.

After her filming she goes to a 55minutes session with the psychologist, where she talks about the excitement she had when they were in Spain and India and also the happiness over Maria’s solo success (trying to avoid talking about Hannah’s popular character in a popular drama). For what will come, Hannah talks about the concert they are having in Japan, also about the death of a fan that touched 5 Pieces deeply. With Emelia’s grandmother dying of cancer, the rapper has especially visited this fan more times than the other ladies who didn’t have the time, and somehow the story of this girl and her mother will always remind Hannah that nothing is impossible. Though, diseases are hell.

On the way home, Manager Kim driving Hannah stops by at a store to buy some yoghurt for tomorrow’s breakfast. While being in the store, Hannah buys some snacks for the ladies. Emelia have been filming a music video all day (she is releasing a Korean single soon, going all solo) and Hannah guesses that she will want some snacks to manage staying up all night to finish the filming, without being all healthy. Manager Kim is easier than Manager Lee to convince buying these things, and since it isn’t for Hannah, it is alright to buy.

“I hope you aren’t planning to bring this along to Japan tomorrow,” Manager Kim comments to Hannah when they are opening the door to the apartment.

“Unnie, you know me better than that,” Hannah tries to joke, but the smile doesn’t reach her lips. Michin comes running inside the hall, so happy they are home and Hannah greets him when taking off her shoes. “Emelia will probably eat it up tonight anyway.”

Out of nowhere Carolina is standing in the hall, asking them with big eyes what Emelia will eat, and Hannah actually smiles when Manager Kim says Carolina is not allowed to touch the food. Hannah thought it was a joke, but Manager Kim is serious when keeping Carolina’s hands away from the plastic bag with chips and snacks when they walk inside the apartment. Hannah takes the bags to go put it away for now, and like always Julia is sitting in the sofa. She has showered and is cuddling with the white puppy in a blanket, and she is actually watching Mr. and Miss that at the moment is airing its fifth episode.

“You don’t seem to appear that much in this episode,” Julia comments when seeing Hannah walk by to the kitchen.

“My character doesn’t appear that much in the whole drama compared to the others,” Hannah answers. She appears often, but Shin Minah, Lee Joon Hyuk and Kim Jaejoong are the three it is about; Hannah is like the fourth wheel. Hannah don’t mind, she really enjoy the drama and she think the episodes comes out really the best way it could ever have been, so if she appears a lot or a little isn’t really what she cares about. It’s a good drama.

Michin follows her around in the kitchen, happily jumping by her feet in hope she will give him something to chew on; but Hannah just puts away everything, takes a glass of Coca-Cola before she goes to sit down in the sofa to watch the last twenty minutes of the episode with the others. Manager Kim keeps keeping an eye on Carolina, for her to not take a second glass of Coca-Cola or sneak away with some snacks. Hannah really doesn’t know why the manager is on Carolina about this, as Hannah is usually the one not allowed to eat anything.

“No, seriously, why are you on Carolina’s back about food?” Hannah eventually asks when Manager Kim keeps an eye on Carolina when the mascot comes back from the kitchen, having nothing to eat in her hands.

“She has gained weight,” Julia happily answers, having fun by Carolina having to control what she eats. “It has been too many ramen at night meals, ha-ha.”

“No more late meals for Carolina,” Manager Kim answers and Carolina gives a whine. Hannah laughs though. For some reason she is happy Carolina will have to try avoid eating at night, though Hannah do know Carolina is eating as always on the days – maybe she just need a small change to not go up more in weight.

Hannah sits there with them until the episode ends, when she follows Manager Kim to the hall for the manager to go home and sleep. The youngest then goes up to her room, wondering what to bring along to their concert-trip to Japan. She turns on the lamp in the ceiling and is just about to throw her bag on the bed when seeing there already is something there; that wasn’t there when she left this morning. At first thought she thinks of Jonghyun, that it is some kind of replay of her birthday surprise, but when taking a closer look she sees it is some papers. Seeing what it is, Hannah just rolls her eyes. Carolina has taken out articles about the drama; to be specific it is one article put in the focus about the ballad Hannah sings for Mr. and Miss. The song has been teased in the drama a little now and then for the past episodes, but the whole song was released earlier today along with clips from the drama of what already has been showed. Kim Jaejoong sings a song for the drama too, their two ballads fitting each other as Hannah’s song is called [You Are] while Jaejoong’s song is called [I Am]. Even 5 Pieces is singing a song to the drama; the main OST called [Dream Prince] – Hannah got no idea of what the actual song has to do with the drama but it fits very well with the agent concept. Hannah knows why Carolina gives the two ballads so much attention, and she smiles when reading the comments in the papers too. Is the mascot boasting?

Hannah doesn’t look through all papers, but she finds it amusing that the mascot had to print them out to boast to Hannah about a song Carolina wrote and Hannah sings; the youngest packs a bag for the trip while changing clothes. Julia had texted her earlier today to ask if she wants to come along to Emelia’s filming around midnight, just to show their support to Emelia and to keep her awake between the takes. Hannah is a little tired from her own filming for the drama, but she is never too tired to support her members.

Once she is done she head inside Julia’s room, where her friend is throwing some socks in the bag; finishing packing.

“I’m ready to leave,” Hannah mentions, sitting down on the floor to play with the puppies that both seem to understand they are going somewhere because they are all excited and following the ladies. “Are we taking your car?”

“I’m ready soon... and of course we’re taking my car – I have to use it whenever I can,” Julia answers with a chuckle and closes the bag. “I drove the car when mom was here, it was really fun. She said I drove very well, for being in not-save-driving-Seoul. Ah, if we’re bringing both puppies; they will have to be in your lap.”

“I know,” Hannah smiles. Julia’s car is an Audi R8 – the bright red car she got on her birthday last year by the ladies and managers – and last year she was so upset during 5 Pieces’ schedules because she couldn’t drive it around and get used to it. This year she has been driving it whenever she has gotten the chance. Carolina isn’t coming along, which is why the two girls can take the car by themselves as it only has two seats, and Hannah gets to hug both the puppies in her arms while they drive to the music video filming of Emelia’s up-coming solo single.

Though Emelia was the first member to make a solo debut back in 2010, she hasn’t released anything in Korea since – instead she was active in Japan last year and this year she has also released a Japanese single. The single she is working on now was pretty much not planned, but with one song named [Missing], Emelia has managed to get a brief comeback. It is better than nothing, and even if it isn’t a full album like Maria’s, Hannah knows it will be a great release. With five different members, Hannah likes how SM Entertainment lets their solo songs show that. Maria is a princess, she is singing songs that can be seen as selfish and full of confidence; Hannah gets to have the standard pop music; and Emelia has gotten to have more of a hip hop or rock style to fit her style.

Arriving at the music video filming, Hannah and Julia take each puppy with them and walk around greeting everyone. Hannah did not forget the snacks they had bought, so that is what she waves in the air when spotting Emelia getting a touch on her make-up.

“Oh jeez, you got absolutely NO idea how hungry I am,” Emelia breathes out when seeing them. “They are starving me at this place.”

“For some reason, I take on the blame for that,” stylist Miyu giggles. “I ate her dinner and she is still upset over it though I did run off to get her some chicken wings.”

“The chicken was delicious,” Emelia whispers with a smile, but she is still busy opening a bag of chips and Miyu waits a little until she can focus with the make-up.

“Emelia just told me about the song you recorded with Hyekyung last week,” Miyu comments to the two newly arrived ladies. “You all had the same expression about it?”

This is a subject they all seem interested in, Hannah can notice that as Julia grabs a chair to move it closer so she can sit and talk to them. Hannah just squats down to keep the puppies company. Julia answers the question; “It’s definitely something 5 Pieces haven’t done before, and the vocals in it is tough too. But it’s Hyekyung Oppa…”

“I said the same thing,” Emelia interrupts and points her thumb to the stylist. “Oppa is a genius and that’s why we all did the song without hesitation.”

“Do you think it is our next concept?” Hannah wonders in a low voice. They haven’t talked about the song they recorded, and though Hannah was being sceptical about the style of the song, she didn’t know the other ladies had exactly the same thought. If it wasn’t Park Hyekyung who made the song, they would question it, but Hyekyung have worked with them for five years and no producer in the whole world knows them better. By Hannah’s question, Julia shrugs her shoulder, her face-expression shows she isn’t into having it as a concept, but Emelia sighs.

“The song is great,” Emelia says, “It is all about what we stand for in a way, but it put more focus on girls, but the actual concept can be challenging, I think. I can only see sparkling dresses and something that’s not us.”

Hannah think Emelia is the member worrying the most that the whole image of how girl-groups are supposed to be will affect 5 Pieces; or how SM Entertainment will want to promote them in a way that every girl-group is. The last thing Emelia wants is to see a picture of 5 Pieces wearing so short skirts that their underwear is shown, or being told like puppies exactly everything to say… That’s why 5 Pieces is going strong in her eyes; they don’t stick to the basics.

“It would be fun to play with the thought, though,” Julia chuckles. “Could you imagine the face of our fans if we actually were on stage in sparkling short dresses and big hair?”

Hannah can’t imagine it. She can’t even imagine 5 Pieces on the stage dressed up like that. Hopefully it will be some side-track or maybe it is one of the songs that just disappear on the laptop, never coming out for fans to hear; Hannah would be disappointed if the song just disappeared though, because it sounds like a really good song even if it isn’t 5 Pieces’ style. With 5 Pieces preparing for a comeback, just a little on the side of their other schedules, but with no actual concept they just record songs in hope to catch something good along the way, and the ladies are curious how their next comeback will be like. The next release will be their fourth album, according to SM, and to make a whole album means a lot of work. Hannah is curious and looking forward to the ladies making an album comeback again, wondering when it will be. When and how, those are two questions Hannah think the ladies quietly ask themselves.

 

Julia and Hannah stay there for a few hours before going home to get some sleep. Late in the morning, the whole team is going to the airport. Emelia talks about her song, shows pictures of her make-up and outfits that she took pictures of and randomly just boasting about her solo song. It is nice hearing, Hannah admits, and she knows Emelia sees it because Hannah keeps smiling; the youngest for some reason shows more happiness about the members’ solo activities than her own. Hannah spent all 2012 being praised and asked about her solo activities with book release, acting, song-writing and solo singles, and now her members are doing just as much solo activities as she has been doing so she is very happy for them. Hannah is one of them who don’t really need solo activities (she is satisfied working with the group) but she has the most of them.

The youngest is dressed in a gray and ivory cut-away sleeve striped top and a pair of loose distressed washed jeans to her sneakers, it is a bright outfit but really cosy and that is the only reason why Hannah would wear it at the airport. She wanted to wear jeans even if they are going on rehearsals; knowing it isn’t that comfortable to dance in jeans but these jeans are loose and she is sure she can rehearse in them.

Arriving at the airport, all five members of 5 Pieces together, fans have gathered. For some reason they found out what time the ladies are leaving, or they have been here all morning, either way it feels so normal to just arrive at the airport and have cameras and people taking notice of you, and Hannah smiles when getting out of the van outside the airport just because of that reason. Turning around, Hannah takes Julia’s bag that the friend hands over to her, just so Julia can get back in the van to grab something.

“So what happens when Emelia makes her comeback, Maria is promoting hers, Hannah is doing everything she does, and I will be producing while…?” Carolina comments behind Hannah, motioning to Julia with a smirk. Julia makes a face though, while Hannah giggles and pushes Carolina for being so mean.

“What would your nerdy brain be producing?” Maria mutters, as always being the last one to get out of the van.

Carolina almost jumps on her place, like always not bothered by fans standing on a distance from them. “Hyekyung asked me to help out with some songs. Who knows, ladies, maybe it is my songs we will be performing from now on.”

Hannah laughs when Julia turns her around to walk inside, while Maria claps Carolina on the shoulder, telling her to not have her hopes up. The girls tease Carolina when they walk inside the airport, and Carolina is all seriously telling them that her music talent is being recognized at SM after the OST songs she wrote and obviously they want to see if she can do even better writing songs for 5 Pieces. It’s not a safe card that her music will be with 5 Pieces or even used, but she gets the chance to show more of all the music she has been working on in the apartment. Though the girls are smiling and teasing heading inside, arms linked and being in a great mood together, they are quickly being told by their managers to lower their voices as fans are getting really close. Fans pushing forward don’t really stop 5 Pieces from laughing, and when reaching the check-in, the fans can’t come closer as they can’t stand in line. Hannah can’t stop smiling, she and Julia fooling around with each other over each other’s passports and they both steals Carolina’s when the mascot isn’t looking, and they are both giggling at Carolina’s passport picture.

Being in a great mood around the ladies is the best giggling-attack ever. Hannah can’t stop giggling and smiling and she is laughing because of her members, and there really isn’t any reason to laugh at Carolina’s picture, but she still does it. Carolina doesn’t notice though. She probably doesn’t even know the girls have been teasing her since they left the van. She never notices such things, and maybe that’s why the ladies keep teasing her, maybe they don’t know when to stop, but Hannah smiles bigger at Carolina when the mascot gets her passport back without knowing why they took it to begin with.

“So what’s your opinion, baby?” Maria asks, patting Hannah on the shoulder for the youngest to turn around in the line. She and Julia is first among them, and when Hannah turns around she can see the flock of fans just seeming to grow further away from the check-in. it’s a good thing the members behind them are tall; Maria and Emelia are the tallest ladies blocking the view, but that never seem to stop fans from taking pictures anyway.

“My opinion on what?” Hannah blinks at the leader who smiles widely and shows something on her cell phone.

“The set-list for my solo concert,” Maria answers and moves her eyebrows hilariously as if she is making a point. Hannah laughs at the eyebrows but takes the cell phone to look at the set-list anyway, and the first thing she sees is that Chanyeol features in [A Better Day].

“EXO will be at the concert?” Hannah wonders.

“No. They got some K-Pop concert to go on that day. Well, at least on the first day. The other concerts in Busan and China haven’t been decided who will feature yet – at the moment, Emelia will be there. It will be awesome,” Maria smirks.

With her solo album, she is having her first solo concert too. Hannah pouts, looks through the list before giving it back as it is her turn to check in after Julia. Once again, Hannah won’t be there for the big event. The group will be in Beijing that weekend for SM Town’s concert, and the day after when Maria has her concert the youngest is still in Beijing for her book signings. Hannah will try to come to the second concert that begins around 21:00, but it won’t be easy as she will be in the car going from the airport at that time – but she will try. Hannah walks a bit with Julia after they have checked in, and then waits for Maria to catch up with them. “When did you have time to practice for the concert?” Hannah asks the leader.

“I haven’t had the time. But that doesn’t mean we don’t plan it,” Maria answers with a chuckle. “You should see the clothes I’ll wear. Yong Hyun Oppa is going all in on the princess concept, and I love it. That man really knows what I want.”

Hannah and Julia both laugh at Maria praising their male stylist; everyone knows the two of them are just destined as soul mates. And as if he could sense it, stylist Yong Hyun comes up behind them, pulling in his bag with the passport, and he makes them laugh even more when commenting that Maria’s love-wish is heard from miles away (he means her praise about him, that he only heard because he was near). Again Julia link arm with Hannah to walk first, honestly not that interested to hear details about Maria’s clothes when they still will see pictures of it later, but Hannah is still excited about Maria’s solo concert because when boarding the plane Maria shows some comments on 5 Pieces’ blog where fans are showing big interest in the concerts.

“Maybe I’ll get to have a world tour soon,” Maria jokes as comments are from fans all around the world wanting her to come here and there. “Just kidding. I’m freaking out about having a concert in China already; no way would I go further than that.”

“The nervous chatterbox,” Yong Hyun comments and smiles when he pushes Maria to her seat so he can reach his. Hannah hands the phone back before they get too far, and Maria begins explaining to the stylist about not being nervous but more excited that their BLACK & WHITE tour is now coming to Japan.

5 Pieces’ second tour BLACK & WHITE has been in five cities so far in Asia, and this will be the sixth before 5 Pieces will head to Europe and the US to continue in Stockholm, Paris and Los Angeles. Japan is special for some reason; Hannah and Julia are talking about it on the plane going to Nagoya. Julia says Japan has a special meaning to Hannah compared to Julia, but still, the first half of 2013, 5 Pieces have promoted monthly in Japan and they all have felt more connected to South Korea’s neighbour country. According to Julia, Hannah is always shining when they go to Japan because she is the one who worked so hard back in 2009-2010 to let Japan know about 5 Pieces. Julia quietly tells Hannah that she saw a video the other day with clips of Hannah from that period in Japan, and in exactly every clip from different interviews, Hannah had introduced herself as “5 Pieces’ Hannah”. Fans have taken notice of it too, commenting that Hannah has done a lot of solo promotions but she not once forgot of the other members and though Hannah is very happy they know that, she don’t really see a big deal in it. For a while, fans seemed to think Japan was more important to Hannah because she had worked there, while Hannah has always worked harder there to let 5 Pieces get noticed. This isn’t about Hannah, it is always about 5 Pieces. They all work hard together.

Arriving in Nagoya, 5 Pieces head straight to the arena where they begin the rehearsals for tomorrow’s concert. They greet the Korean staff and the Japanese staff, 5 Pieces able to communicate with everyone and begin their rehearsals. As soon as they are beginning with the rehearsal, Hannah sneaks a picture of Emelia standing on the stage, Hannah in the back and Emelia facing the invisible crowd and the spotlights and effects are on and it is a great picture though it was taken in the moment.

{Instagram, bunny92hannah: BLACK & WHITE Tour, next stop is Nagoya. We are ready! the question is; are you?}

Hannah writes it in Japanese, because she wants to focus it to their Japanese fans, and she doesn’t look at the phone until they have gone through several songs, being surprised by how many fans that comments whether they understand what she writes or not. A lot of Japanese fans have commented that they are coming or hoping they can next time, while others look forward to other concerts, some wondering who it is in the picture… It’s always interesting to read what others take notice of in a picture and text.

The weather in Nagoya is pretty much like it has been in Seoul, beside from the air being a little more moist, but the ladies don’t have time to enjoy the weather either way with the rehearsals going on indoors at the arena. Hannah isn’t complaining. She is like always having the best time of her life on the stage, even if it is rehearsals. Emelia is a little tired after filming her music video half the night, so Hannah and Carolina tries to put everyone in a better mood by fooling around to some of the songs; singing with the weird and weirder voices throughout the song all until Maria falls down on the stage from laughing. Hannah laughs when Emelia runs after her around on the stage, as the youngest was caught doing a bad impersonation of how Emelia looks like when she raps. Hannah will definitely do it at the actual concert too.

It’s like the concert has already started. 5 Pieces run around when they have gotten in the mood, jumping to their own music even if it is just a rehearsal, and the staff laughs at them while the ladies fools around.

“Please don’t be terrified if we come off as too unserious,” Hannah is saying to the Japanese staff in Japanese over the microphone, cutely smiling at the staff that laughs on the side, “We are always taking rehearsals seriously, but we also need to loosen up. Don’t hesitate to talk to us even if the ladies are noisy.”

“What Hannah means is that we don’t bite,” Emelia chuckles, “beside from when we are hungry.”

“We better keep the food around then,” one staff jokes and Emelia cheers as he understood what she meant. A lot of food is the key to get 5 Pieces’ love.

Always when 5 Pieces do a concert outside Korea, they greet the new staff and say a few words in hope to not cause misunderstandings. They basically talk to the staff through the whole rehearsal, but it is fun to show for them that the ladies know they can be a little too much at times, for the low-profiled people working with them. After five years the ladies know that culture differences can make them misunderstood, and though that is quite known around them by now, they still need to remind people of it.

Though the stage is very important with the sound, light, stage and the choreography and rehearsals being good and all that, it is important things going on backstage in between too. After the rehearsal of the concert, 5 Pieces goes to try on the clothes for tomorrow. They tried on a few during one longer break during the day, but now in the late evening they are finishing off the try to make sure the clothes actually fit and that nothing is missing.

“Who has the messy side?” Julia is teasing their female clothing stylist Park Chan Hyo (who is more like Yong Hyun’s assistant). Julia laughs when picking up a jacket from the chair to hang it up, helping the stylist to sort out the clothes.

Hannah holds in her stomach when trying on the sleeveless faux-leather-trim jacket, smiling at Maria who takes a glance at her. It’s not too tight, she always holds in her stomach when putting on clothes. The girls try on clothes that fit, going through details and actually help the stylists to not have the room completely messy, and they also talk about things they have remembered from previous concerts to know what to think about for the outfits. Like the skirts, they need to make sure aren’t too long or too shorts, there is always something. Hannah’s clothes for the concert focuses on her body figure, to be tight around the waist is probably the key to most outfits of hers.

The whole day has been spent there, eating and rehearsing, going through things for their BLACK & WHITE tour.

Even when leaving to go to the hotel, the girls are smiling and fooling around with each other. It’s weird, how they last weekend were in Europe for their Samsung event and this weekend they are having a concert in Japan. But the moment they go into their rooms at the hotel, they go to sleep. Tomorrow, their Nagoya concert takes off.

Hannah dreams that night about their concert, about singing to their Japanese fans and to have their fans loving it. Nothing can really live up to a live concert, all the emotions and feelings, and she is so happy she gets to experience it.

 

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The day is wild. Their fans are so incredible. Hannah keeps getting crazy, she and her members, the whole group goes crazy on stage with their fans. Maria even trips one time after shaking hand with some fans, and she laughs happily when Julia helps her back up on her feet. Dancing and singing, running and jumping, talking and teasing – 5 Pieces’ BLACK & WHITE tour – there is no ending to their fun on stage.

Not even when the concert is coming to an end, the fun doesn’t come to an end.

“You know, last time 5 Pieces had a concert here in Nagoya was half a year ago, for our RUN OUT tour,” Hannah mentions in Japanese when they are saying the absolutely last ending talk after the final song. The purple ocean in front of 5 Pieces has been the best and she can’t stop smiling when the audience cheers over the tour she mentioned. “But I’m sure you all can be louder for this concert, right?”

“Let us hear you scream!” Carolina screams out with an excited jump and holds out the microphone.

Carolina gives off the silliest laugh when their crowd screams. Hannah keeps smiling wider. She is sweaty and her body is tense from the concert, her back is hurting from wearing high heels and from the whole schedule, but she can’t stop smiling at the ocean of fans. “Don’t worry about being louder; you all have been such an amazing audience for us tonight!” Hannah is cheering on the audience happily. “Thank you so much for coming here and be safe going home in the rain! We love all of you!”

“THANK YOU!”

The girls are bursting out with love words and thanks when bowing and waving and saying the absolutely final goodbye for the first concert, standing there on the stage with their dancers. Their first day has come to an end and the girls are staying on the stage, dragging out with waving and words, not looking like they want to get off the stage. The staff is waving them to the side, and Hannah gives a final bow before getting off the stage. Maria’s voice is the last thing the night’s audience hears as she says ‘thank you’ one more time right before they give away their microphones.

First day is done.

Hannah sits down backstage, the trainer guiding her to sit right as he does after every concert, and she gets to breathe out, all ladies breathes out on their own to let their managers and people know they are not breaking apart after the concert. Hannah begins laughing when Emelia gives out a sudden shout of happiness, and she can see how Julia jumps on top of Carolina who had lied down on the floor with a towel over her head. Emelia rushes to lie over them both, and then Hannah laughs when doing it too and Maria lies on top, almost jumping on them that the mix of laughter and complains gets louder.

Their stylist does not miss to take a picture of it, with Emelia’s camera that always is nearby. Later tonight, Emelia will upload the picture on 5 Pieces’ blog to write in Japanese and translate in English “Five crazy ladies five minutes after a great concert in Nagoya. Our fans are the best source of life and happiness ever, we thank you with our performances and smiles, and we hope our music can live up to the greatness we know is Puzzle. Thank you for completing the puzzle, because we all know; you can’t finish the puzzle without one piece. Nagoya, let’s get totally insane tomorrow for day two!”

The girls rest a little backstage, not being in a hurry at all.

“I don’t get it…” Hannah mumbles while eyeing the piece of cake Maria is eating.

“What do you not get?” Maria answers, not even looking up from the cake that she moves around on the cake before taking another piece in .

“The thing Carolina is doing…”

Maria rolls her eyes. “SM and some channel have let Carolina have a few minutes show every Sunday that they will call Carolina’s Music Corner; it won’t really be anything, just the geek singing a song or whatever. What is it that you don’t understand?”

“I don’t understand what she is doing now, I understand the rest,” Hannah answers. Carolina had gone out to the stage to film something. Maria sighs as she had to explain the whole show for nothing, and begins explaining the other part;

“She said she is going to sing a song with our concert set, to make it a special off-the-track performance or something,” Maria answers like she doesn’t really care. Hannah sits still for a minute, but eventually the curiosity takes over and she rushes out of the room to go to the concert all.

Yesterday Hannah had no idea about this, but today she found out that Carolina has been approved to do her own little TV show. It isn’t really a show at all since it is just about five to ten minutes long, but it is something that Carolina apparently has been asking SM for, just a chance for her to show more of herself while everyone else has been doing solo activities this year. It has taken three months for Carolina’s idea to become reality, but Hannah is still surprised she does not remember Carolina talking about it before.

The mascot is sitting tailor on the stage, a camera-crew around her filming while Carolina, very simple and naturally is singing without any other instrument than her voice, a Swedish version of the song [From Different Worlds] (5 Pieces’ song that is both in Korean and English, but in Swedish she has written herself). Hannah has heard her sing it before, and Carolina wanted the whole group to sing it in Swedish once but it seems like she gave up trying to force the ladies to sing it that she ended up singing it on her own. But she sings prettily, her voice echoing in the concert hall that pretty much is empty now beside from some staff and Hannah quietly approaches behind the filming crew to sneak a peak at Carolina’s first episode. ‘A gift to fans,’ is what Carolina says this episode is, as many fans have asked if 5 Pieces can sing in their own language, and Hannah hope they will like what Carolina has prepared for them. It is a good performance, it is very Carolina-like with the stage and Carolina just sitting there and being herself. Hannah likes it. But the mascot is a perfectionist; her simple performance is remade nine times before she is satisfied.

 

Day two of their Nagoya concert is a little different. The whole day is just as happy and fun like the day before, the interviews and rehearsals goes well and when the concert begins the five ladies are at the top. Everything seems to go just the best way possible; they really have a blast on stage with their fans having just as much fun. What is different with today is the ending. 5 Pieces had prepared a special ending, no matter how it would go like, and when they have said their goodbyes with the dancers on the main stage with them, Emelia motions for Hannah to talk. The youngest had gotten help backstage all day for what to say, both from her members and managers, just to know what to say.

“We had prepared an event for today’s concert, to surprise one of our fans,” Hannah starts saying in Japanese through the microphone. She bites her lip before continuing. “But… she could not make it. Last week she passed away after fighting strongly against cancer. Her mother is here today, and though our surprise can not turn out the way we wanted, we would still want to perform one more song for you all here today that we dedicate to Michiyo-chan. Can we do that?” Hannah asks their audience for permission, and she smiles sadly when they cheer.

Hannah looks at her right side, where she can see the dancers taking a step back to stand in a long line behind 5 Pieces, and the ladies all take a deep breath preparing for the song to begin. Saruwatari Michiyo was 24 years old, a Japanese fan of 5 Pieces who touched the ladies with a letter she had her mother give Hannah during 5 Pieces’ fan signing in the summer. She had been diagnosed with cancer a few months earlier and it had spread through her whole body, and she had been told she would have half a year left to live. Still, she had enjoyed watched 5 Pieces’ Arena Tour just a few weeks after being diagnosed with cancer, together with her mother who has admitted to be a big fan of 5 Pieces too – in their letter they had confessed that by liking 5 Pieces together, they had reached a mother-daughter relationship they didn’t have before. 5 Pieces had invited them both to the concert today, and though the daughter died last week, the mother came. She is sitting in the audience with an empty seat next to her, knowing her daughter would have wanted it this way.

The song is a Japanese ballad from their single that came out earlier in the summer; the song is called [What Would It Look Like]. It is a beautiful ballad with harmony and a deep meaning, which is why the ladies chose to sing this one for the surprise. Fans are cheering right away when the song begins, and Hannah just tries to not cry thinking of the bald girl they had once met at the hospital.

[5 Pieces] *E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e. E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e*

[Hannah] *The tears you cry from your old scars. Don’t be saddened or scared

As a proof of living, we all carry our own scars*

[Carolina] *Are you afraid of loving? You pretend to not see what you have,

Turning your back for what it is in front of you*

[Emelia] *Like the sun setting at night, a place that we now see, we can live it*

[CHORUS, Hannah] *For anyone to feel the warmth of another person. This world is a beautiful place

[Maria + Julia] If we all learn to see and try, We can share much more and make a tender world that smiles~*

It’s difficult to sing after Emelia, the chorus has a higher tone and after hearing Emelia’s voice filled with tears, Hannah looks down when she has to begin singing the chorus. She can’t hide the tears in her eyes, but she fights to let her voice break from it. She does her part well, and when Julia and Maria continues with the chorus, Hannah looks over at Emelia, the rapper is crying with Maria holding her hand. Hannah wants to hold her hand too, but she is too far away. She turns to the audience to focus on the song, to sing for their fans.

*E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e. E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e*

[Emelia] *Even if your heart [Hannah] is in deep pain~ [Hannah + Emelia] There is another side of those tears*

[Julia] *A shape of light pushes [Carolina] its way into the darkness~ [Carolina + Julia] We’re here*

[Hannah] *As strong as we can feel the suffering. We can feel the people’s warmth*

[Maria + Hannah] *We are all searching for a place. That can heal all our sadness and fear

[Hannah + Julia] So for you, who try to live, don’t be afraid. Don’t hesitate, we’ll try to feel safe and protected*

*E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e. E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e

E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e*

[Maria] *My heart~ is in pain~~ ([Hannah] oooh~~)

Because your love~ is beautiful~~ ([Julia] don’t hide yourself~~)

Even just~ for a moment~ ([Carolina] I’ll let you know~ my love~)

I want to show~ a beautiful place~~ ([Emelia] you know, you’re my love~~ Oh~!)*

[CHORUS] *For anyone to feel the warmth of another person. This world is a beautiful place

If we all learn to see and try. We can share much more and make a tender world that shines*

*E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e. E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e*

*E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e. E, e – e, e, e – e, e – e, e, e*

The song comes to an end with 5 Pieces in harmony singing ‘e, e, e’, and the girls hold hands to bow together, staying down and the dancers are bowing behind them and the girls are now just crying. Hannah and Julia hold on tightly to each other’s hands, they all not getting up from the bow as the cheer gets even louder. It’s for their concert, for their Japanese activities this year, and for their fans. Hannah feels blessed. She isn’t the kind to say such things, but she feels so blessed to stand in front of 10.000 people and by singing and performing with her four best friends, they can make a point with their music.

Getting off the stage, Hannah searches her way through the crowd of ladies, staff and dancers until she can give Emelia a hug. Just a hug, it doesn’t have to be anything else. At times you just feel that you have to do something, not say anything, and just show you’re there.

After the concert, 5 Pieces wipe their tears and rest a bit until they get to hear that the mother is waiting for them in another room. She had gotten backstage passage, and it was planned all along for her to come backstage after the concert. Hannah doesn’t know what to say to her; they didn’t meet before the concert, which means they haven’t met in several weeks. She follows her members, where Maria and Emelia are the most determined to meet the woman to show their care for her loss and thank her for coming to the concert.

The mother, a short and cute older woman who looks pale and has traces from the mascara running in her face after the tear-filled concert, gets to wait in the room for fifteen minutes. She was surprised at first, to have the staff asking if she wants something to eat or drink while waiting, and though she said she doesn’t want anything, the staff returned with water that he placed on a table just in case she changes her mind. It is welcoming backstage, though she feels dreadful after the last song. She had gone to the bathroom before she went backstage, just to try fix her make-up a little and gather strength to meet the idols, but she know she did a bad job on that as she is now sitting in the sofa on her own, her head such a mess with all the thoughts. When she earlier this week found out that the funeral of her daughter had been paid by 5 Pieces without any publicity, she had been so moved that she cried for three hours just being thankful that her daughter had such a great taste in finding idols worth admiring. Through the whole concert she had gone from crying to laughing like a crazy person, and somehow it felt the most normal thing as she was surrounded by fans doing exactly the same thing from one song to another. It’s an emotional roller-coaster ride to be at 5 Pieces’ concert.

Fifteen minutes after sitting in the room trying to not cry, the door is opened and 5 Pieces’ angelic voice Maria walks in first. The mother stands up, and just to see 5 Pieces enter the room together to meet her after what they did for her daughter on the stage, still wearing their concert outfits, she bursts out in tears for so many different reasons. Maria gives out a sound when hugging her.

These five ladies have reached the heart of a woman by showing concern for a person they only learned to know through a letter. She was so surprised to know they all read her letter, about her daughter who had cancer and that all five of them showed up at the hospital to surprise them both, to make a wish come try. The mother cries when being hugged by the five girls, all of them crying with her and she tells them between her hiccups that she want to thank them for giving hope to her daughter that she did live a good life, even if it had to end too soon. But 5 Pieces smiles behind their tears too, showing concern and giving her strength to live her life twice as hard for her daughter’s sake. After all this, the woman will write on a blog belonging to her daughter, reaching out to other fans by describing her experience with 5 Pieces. All rumours of rudeness and being caught up in their fame; it is all false. I was touched to the bottom of my heart. I don’t know how my daughter found these angels, but they have given me a life I thought ended a week ago along with my daughter’s. Now I know I have to live for the both of us. Thank you, for teaching an old woman like me to live.

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Headline 29th: 5 Pieces’ Maria Comments In Interview “The Members ”

Headline 29th: 5 Pieces Appear With All Five Members At Samsung Events In Spain

Headline 29th: Maria Wins Over G-Dragon On Inkigayo + Pre-Recorded Performance Of [Princess]

 

Monday, Headline 30th: ‘Joe’ Series Are Still At The Top Of Books In Korea & Scandinavia After 61 Weeks

Headline 30th: Kim Jaejoong Becomes 5 Pieces Hannah’s Partner In New Japanese Chocolate CF

Headline 30th: 5 Pieces’ Maria Thanks Fans For Their Love With A Set Of Pictures From India

Headline 30th: India Welcomes 5 Pieces + Sings Maria’s [Princess] During Samsung Event

 

Headline October 01st: 5 Pieces Sings [Dream Prince] OST For Hannah’s Drama ‘미스터와 미스’

 

Headline 02nd: 5 Pieces’ Hannah Says It Wasn’t Easy To Begin Acting

Headline 02nd: Julia & Carolina Fools Around In Picture At A Photo Shoot

Headline 02nd: Maria Performs Hit Song [Princess] On Show Champion

Headline 02nd: ‘미스터와 미스’ Episode 4 Airs, Highest Rating So Far

Headline 02nd: JYJ’s Jaejoong & 5 Pieces’ Hannah Got The Perfect Chemistry In ‘미스터와 미스’ Episode 4

 

Headline 03rd: Hannah Sings Ballad OST [You Are] To Her SBS Drama ‘미스터와 미스’

Headline 03rd: 5 Pieces’ Maria Wins On This Week’s M Countdown + [Princess] Performance

Headline 03rd: The Members Of 5 Pieces Make Funny Faces During Their Schedule In ‘Life of Pieces’ Episode 11

Headline 03rd: ‘미스터와 미스’ Episode 5 Airs With Rivalry & Possible Triangle Drama Shaping Up

 

Headline 04th: 5 Pieces’ Carolina Revealed To Have Written OST Songs [You Are] + [I Am] For ‘미스터와 미스’

Headline 04th: Maria Performs [Princess] + [Back Home] On Music Bank

 

Headline 05th: Posters Of Hannah & Jaejoong’s Chocolate CF Put Up Around Japan

Headline 05th: Maria “Accidentally” Shares Julia’s Childhood Picture On Instagram

Headline 05th: 5 Pieces’ Maria Wins Music Core! + [Princess] 3rd Performance

Headline 05th: Model Couple Celebrate 300 Days Of Marriage In Latest ‘We Got Married’ Episode

Headline 05th: Kim Heechul Reveals Maria’s 2-Sided Thoughts On Her Solo album

Headline 05th: 5 Pieces’ Maria Is A Real Classic Girl According To Kim Heechul

 

Headline 06th: Maria Is Everyone’s Tripe Crown [Princess] Winner On Inkigayo

Headline 06th: Maria Sends Her Love To Her “Love-Lovers” For Inkigayo Triple Crown

Headline 06th: 5 Pieces’ Sings [What It Would Look Like] In Tears To A Japanese Fan At Their Nagoya Concert

 

Monday, Headline 07th: ‘Joe’ 1 & 2 Makes Best 10 Books Of The Week Number 1 & 6

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X. devonalias

Just one picture of 5 Pieces with arms around each other, all in the air jumping