Most of the day has been spent filming a commercial for drinking yoghurt, but the rest of the day and evening is spent preparing for SBS Gayo Daejun, the second Music Festival of the year. Backstage during rehearsals and preparations, it is so loud.

Hannah punching another girl-group member is probably the hottest topics of the day, and it does not help Hannah that whoever sees her has to bring it up. Especially with Super Junior’s Kim Heechul walking around reminding her of it. Even Taemin brings it up, just wanting her to demonstrate by punching him in the stomach to see how she did it. She doesn’t do it, but Taemin more than gladly demonstrates it himself on Kai. Though the talk about that is going around wildly, Hannah and Jihyun doesn’t mind each other at all, ignoring each other as air – Hannah sees her maybe two times during the day. 5 Pieces’ manager was right about one thing; the juniors are scared. As soon as juniors spots 5 Pieces, they bow down as deep as they can. One time when Hannah and Julia are in the corridor talking to some members in SNSD, a junior group walks by with enormous eyes but tries to not stare too much. Even SNSD notices it, saying it is all because of 5 Pieces. Is it good or bad?

When the music festival starts, Hannah and Carolina are sitting backstage watching the show while the other three are sitting out in the audience on the idol-bench for spectators. Not every member of every group is there, but a big bunch is there. Carolina is interested in every junior’s performance, such as Crayon Pop and VIXX, while Hannah is on her cell phone, writing text messages to Jonghyun who is sitting in another room. It gets least attention talking this way, but it is really fun. Though they communicate through their phone, Taemin comes by when he is bored in their room, happy that he managed to sneak away without anyone else knowing where he went, so he sits there and watches the show with them for a while. Eventually, Jonghyun comes too.

Hannah is wearing a lace-sleeve a-line dress in gold that she in the second half will wear for their [Classic Girls] performance, having accessories as well as pretty high heels. When Jonghyun first saw her in this outfit, he had two difference expressions. The first one showed he liked it, staring at her body, but then he did not like it; and she knows he think it is too short to go up on stage in. But still, he did not say anything about it. A fun part was when he realised Taemin was in the room, and he came over to sit next to Hannah but instead of taking space on her left, he went to sit on her right side where Taemin had comfortably been sitting between the two girls to look on his both sides when talking to them. Hannah has to move further out in the sofa for him to fit.

She can’t stop thinking of yesterday’s conversation with the ladies, and how calm he had been when she had called him on the radio program. Jonghyun sits with a hand on her bare leg, letting her know very well that he takes notice of it, and though they are all watching the show on the TV with the stylists in the room there is always someone talking about either the performances, outfits of other idols or other things. Hannah doesn’t say much, instead she just leans her head back to look at Jonghyun. He smiles the whole time, knowing she is looking at her.

“Am I allowed to stand next to you on the stage later?” Jonghyun asks in a low voice to her, turning his head to only let her be in the focus for him. Their eyes meet, but she does not know why he asks her that.

“Would my answer change anything?” she whispers, smiling because Jonghyun would walk up to her if he wanted.

Jonghyun chuckles, knowing she is right. He puts a finger by her chin, quickly giving her a peck on the lips. “We’ll see how it turns out then,” he teases lightly. He is too aware of how warm he makes her feel, especially with those eyes that looks directly at her before he turn his focus back on the TV-screen. Stylist Yong Hyun is smirking at the TV too, but he had watched them the whole time with a smile.

About fifty minutes in on the show, the ladies will shift place so Hannah and Carolina will sit out among the idols and the other three will head backstage. Hannah and Carolina are both in the gold outfits (Carolina is in fashionable shorts and top with high heels) and they are wearing a thin jacket on top to not be too obvious with what they are wearing. They both bring a blanket with them too, so when taking their seats among the other idols they cover their legs. B1A4 is performing when they take their seats. MCs are Heechul, 2NE1’s Dara and Sung Si Kyung, and when the two ladies head to their seats they stop just briefly to exchange some words with them, just saying they are doing well. Dara smiles so prettily when being praised. But what really gets attention is that pretty much every idol sitting there stands up when Hannah and Carolina makes their appearance, to politely bow even if the ladies doesn’t look at them all. It’s awkward.

[One Shot] by B.A.P is next, and Hannah sits there blankly watching the performance. She doesn’t know much about junior groups, but B.A.P is one of few she does know of because they have a lot of songs she likes. Carolina is almost singing along to every song again, doing it for herself since they are in public, but her voice is still heard next to Hannah, like a whisper singing along. Hannah says nothing, and no one else does either. Sitting behind them is CN BLUE, and when Carolina eventually notices that, Hannah can hear how they begin to talk about music whenever there is no one performing. Hannah isn’t that close to them, but Carolina can be close to male idols when it is talk about music – Minhyuk tells them to be quiet when the friendship drama is being showed. The drama is boring, but when Taemin suddenly appears in it facing K.Will, both ladies starts laughing. It’s not that he looks funny, he is really handsome, but they just weren’t ready for him to suddenly come out on the screen.

Hannah is just waiting for their time on the stage. She sits there waiting for it, longing for it while seeing the other perform. They won’t perform until the second half, and it is still the first half. But on the first half, Julia will perform her song too. That is what they wait for first, and automatically when Julia’s [I’m Sleepy] begins, they cheer with the crowd. Julia and Yuri performs the song together like they did during the summer, but the remix lets the members of SNSD join in, and the crowd goes so wild. Julia is still in the centre, shining with her new hairstyle and surprisingly wide smile while being surrounded by the pretty friends.

Several of the idols sitting around Hannah and Carolina are moving along to the fun pop song. The crowd is really having fun when SNSD and Julia stands all next to each other, walking forward to sing and dance and then walk back a few steps, still singing. It is the highlight so far, according to Hannah. Carolina and she are the special idol fans of them, cheering with no regrets.

“We will make a comeback with both DBSK and Rain,” Carolina comments when they after the first half are backstage with the members. “Can you believe the pressure?!”

DBSK’s comeback teaser had been shown, reminding the ladies that it isn’t much time left.

“Duuuuh, have you not been listening?” Maria sounds annoyed. “Yunho even told us, face to face, that it would be like our debut time all over again. Our seniors ruling the place and we running around doing their errands”

“I don’t think we did that when we debuted…” Hannah says in a low voice.

“I can’t wait to promote alongside them though,” Julia is excited.

For the second half it is Julia, Carolina and Emelia sitting in the crowd. Hannah was supposed to sit there instead of Carolina, but her back hurts so they told her to be backstage instead. Hannah takes that chance to walk around in sneakers, stretching her back over and over again. Meanwhile, Maria is preparing for her solo stage later, fixing hair and make-up. There are even more interesting performances now, so they find themselves stuck by the TV-screen over and over again with their staff.

Hannah has had back problems since the car-accident three years ago, and recently it just comes when she is stressed and sits a lot. Apparently her back finds the best times when she is at shows like these. Mostly at concerts she has to stretch and take care of her back the most, so no one makes a big deal out of it. It doesn’t hurt too much this time.

Thirty minutes in on the second half, the MCs are interviewing some of the idols sitting out by the stage. Julia is one of them, while Emelia sitting next to her is still kind of stuck by the hip hop performances that just were (her idols), Carolina is smiling brightly behind Julia.

“Whose performance was the best tonight so far?” Heechul asks Julia, sounding like he is going to no matter what she answers.

“I would say the seniors that just performed, but I really liked the special performance between Julia and SNSD,” Julia answers, and they laugh at her jokingly praising herself.

Heechul laughs loudly too, saying he is impressed by how well they did. “5 Pieces is making a comeback at the New Year. What do you want to say to everyone here about that?” Heechul then asks with the crowd cheering at the comeback being mentioned, he turns the microphone back to Julia.

“Please expect to be impressed,” Julia confidently answers, and this time the other two members behind her are heard laughing. Where did Julia’s confidence come from? Heechul looks surprised too, turning to Carolina who stands up quickly, asking her if she has something to add.

“5 Pieces’ new single is out on January 1st. Look forward to it~” Carolina cutely answers and Heechul says that 5 Pieces really know how to promote themselves. Backstage, Maria and Hannah are just laughing too much at how silly the members are.

 

The special performance has been introduced, and Maria’s solo song [Classic Girl] starts to play. The video screen in the back plays the beginning where Maria in the music video is pretending to be Emelia, as Emelia has a part in the beginning. But it isn’t Maria who starts to sing. The crowd goes wild seeing Julia sit among the other idols, wearing her gold-colour waist-high skirt and tank top, looking like a classic girl with a lot of money. She sings with attitude, loving the response to her sudden appearance. The lyrics are fast, but she keeps up with it as her part isn’t that long. She coolly leans back in her seat, just looking at the camera as it switches over to show Carolina across the arena, standing on the smaller stage to sing her part. Carolina focuses more on hand motions and facial-expressions; even she receives a lot of cheer from the crowd. They are, after all, singing Maria’s solo song.

On the main stage there are male dancers, all dressed in suits. After Carolina’s part, Hannah walks out there singing her part, singing that this man needs a real woman. Hannah imagines Maria doing this part as she has seen her during performances, filled with confidence and style as she walks out towards the centre. It’s Hannah’s first official appearance tonight, as well as Carolina’s. She travels her hands up her hip, doing the move that Maria does for the same part, and she walks with much attention to the high heels. As Hannah walks up between the male dancers, getting their attention but just glancing at them and waving them off, the other two ladies are hurrying in the dark to reach the main stage before the chorus begins. Hannah starts to dance, that boyish dance in a dress, as this song is a lot about status and that the girl can help the guy rather than the guy helping the girl. It’s a great song.

The chorus begins, the three ladies at the front with the male dancers around them, ladies in gold and the dancers in white suits. The dance is simple and fun to follow and the ladies are so into their parts of performing Maria’s song that they don’t even notice the crowd dancing along happily. Towards the end of the first chorus, Maria come sup at the back, slowly approaching in her white stapless asymmetric hem bodycon dress with gold details, one side glamorously shorter than the other of the dress. The crowd definitely loves her appearance, as she walks between the ladies as well to begin sing the next verse. She leans towards Hannah, looking like they both agree on what she sings, and then walks over to Carolina to do a simple dance move together. After that, Maria takes over and the other three can head backstage to prepare for 5 Pieces’ performance later in the show.

But Maria performs [Classic Girl] on the main stage, all until Emelia comes for her rap part. Emelia is also dressed in white, her waist-long blonde hair in a long side-braid hanging down on the side, wearing white skinny jeans and a jacket with white fur around the neck. Emelia looks classic too, rapping in her dark voice and Maria walks around her with her long legs, the two of them making the crowd goes wild. Yet, it is just the beginning. Halfway through the rap, Maria starts to walk away from the stage. Emelia continues rapping, and she keeps wrapping while the music disappears and the crowd goes louder at Emelia’s rap suddenly fastening and out of nowhere she is rapping her own concert song [Come here], and the music begins when she has rapped a part of it, the crowd starts to go completely wild when EXO’s Chanyeol and Kris comes up on the stage, rapping the next part of the song while Emelia shouts out their names. It is the rappers domination. Emelia had fixed it herself to let them all do the song with her, rapping in Korean and English. F(x)’s Amber makes an appearance too, all four of them rapping and making the audience jump with them. But it isn’t that long, and when they are done, they stand with arms around each other on the main stage.

“Thank you!” Emelia cheers and lifts up her arms to let the other three leave, the crowd again cheering when Emelia suddenly takes off the jacket she has been wearing, revealing the tight top underneath in white and gold. Emelia looks like a light with the pale skin, white outfit and blonde hair. She knows it, and she starts to perform her official solo song [Missing]. After that is Maria with [Princess]; the leader wearing a yellow and pink dress with super high heels and her song is the hit song among the songs for 5 Pieces’ solo, so it gets the best cheer so far.

 

5 Pieces’ performance at the end of the show starts without an introduction from the MCs, instead the music begins to play, echoing out *ladies and gentlemen* three times as a group of dancers gathers around the round stage among the audience, standing around in the corridors between the seats. The voice then echoes *stand up, ‘n salute… ‘n salute* with the dancers all stepping on their positions to the beat of the music, hands held up in a salute towards the round stage. All the dancers are wearing ripped jeans and gray tank tops. *For the fighters return* the voice says and the crowd cheers louder as the middle of the round stage lifts up with 5 Pieces standing close next to each other, saluting too. They are wearing red baggy pants with the -line showed and red tank tops, their pants filled with words scribbled in different colours. The same male voice echoes out for everyone; *It’s 5 Pieces* before the music and his voice dies out, and eventually the crowd stops cheering too as 5 Pieces and their dancers are still.

The in-ear counts down for the ladies, and without a warning to the crowd, Emelia starts to rap to [WHO- I AM]. The audience burst out cheering as 5 Pieces performs the song, the charismatic and tough choreography along with the fast and hard lyrics of who they are. Emelia’s hair is out freely now, moving to each movement the same as Hannah’s hair is. Maria’s hair is in a pony-tail, but her tail keeps moving as well. The name 5 Pieces exists because of these five ladies, who without a doubt give their everything to the live singing and dancing to their performance. Facial expressions, body expressions, voice expressions, they know where the cameras are even if the camera-men makes a mistake one or two times. They don’t perform the whole song until the remix comes, and the ending comes all of a sudden while the beat is strong, 5 Pieces steps in to the centre with arms stretched out as they do their cheer, and they together take the end of Emelia’s part to roughly shout *Let’s concur together!* before turning to the crowd and everything suddenly goes black. in a second, the music that had stopped and the lights that had gone out, starts to play anew, a chorus remix of [Daze] with the ladies dancing on the round stage and the crowd doesn’t just cheer but starts dancing along crazily.

One chorus, then the remix continues, repeating *dazzle stun daze* over and over again while the party lights are shimmering, showing the ladies leaving the round stage and walking between the dancers to get over to the main stage. There, 5 Pieces performs [Daze] from beginning to end, giving everyone a better view of their outfits. There is firework shooting up around the stage, the first time shocking Maria but after the third time the girls are just going wilder with the audience.

Sweaty after their crazy performance, 5 Pieces head backstage to just get out of the microphones and drink some water before all the idols are gathering on the stage. Today’s girl-groups are so busy with their red lips and such, while 5 Pieces skips the red in the face to go on the body instead. To the ending, the ladies wrap red/white scarves around their necks like most of the others are doing. For the whole ending, SNSD and 5 Pieces are flocked together in the back, together with f(x). The bunch of girls has a blast – Taemin stands with them too, a little lost among all the people. It’s fun.

 

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“You’re making fun of me,” Jonghyun laughs with a light push on Hannah’s shoulder when he walks by her.

He has been showing off his muscles all the time in the practice-room in his tank top with the wide sleeveless arms showing down his ribs, and he looks so handsome in sweatpants too. Hannah smiles at him, not knowing what else to do. She is wearing a pair of contrast-panel sweat pants in gray and a v-neck short-sleeve t-shirt in black for today’s endless practice in preparations for tomorrow’s New Year music festival. The last of the last for 2013, where 5 Pieces will end and start their New Year going from the charismatic badass girls to feminine ladies.

“I am not making fun of you. Am I making fun of him?” Hannah turns to the dancers; some shrug their shoulders but some of them nods or shake their heads.

“I will still do it on the stage, you know,” Jonghyun comments at her, taking his position.

Hannah and Jonghyun will perform [Get Your Kiss] for tomorrow’s SM Collaboration stage. Emelia is practicing with Key, Amber, Chanyeol and Kris to perform [Like A G6] as well, but the couple is all wound up in their own world practicing with the dancers. Hannah had smiled towards the end of the song when Jonghyun came a little too close, mostly because she is always embarrassed when they aren’t on the stage or alone. Jonghyun has too much confidence though, wrapping his arm around her like that and coming with suggestions like this. Everyone else just laughs or smiles at it, while Hannah is just too shy to do anything. She knows it will be different tomorrow when they rehearse and perform on stage, because now they just imagine how it will turn out like, how they will go from one stage to the other… Hannah looks forward to that, when she will be more comfortable to not let her shyness be in the way.

Their practice is just for an hour before they have to part ways, to continue performing with their group.

5 Pieces practices for hours, then some more hours. They have a lot to practice, a lot to keep their minds on. Sweaty and out of breath, they don’t feel the same feminine ladies they are supposed to be for [I Want A Man], but that doesn’t mean they stop practicing. Carolina takes more breaks than the others, drinking something good for the throat and to rest as it seems like she is going to catch a cold. Still, a sore throat does not stop them. They practice and practice and practice, exchange thoughts and practice even more. There is no time to fight or disagree with each other, just a bunch of thoughts exchanged and their teacher will make the decision, the ladies following.

It’s after midnight when their practice ends, Hannah still sweating when getting some water with Maria; they both decided to go get it to walk the tiredness away in their legs.

“Tomorrow will be painful,” Hannah mutters when Maria hands her three bottles.

“Yeah. And Carolina’s cold seem to take over,” Maria mutters too, blinking tiredly, getting the final two bottles before they starts walking back. “Appa said he will buy her some medicine in the morning, so we can pull through the performance without her coughing or something.”

“She was fine yesterday,” Hannah comments.

“Mi Young Unnie has had a cold since we filmed the music video outside in the snow; I think Carolina caught it from her,” Maria explains, “Which means I have no intention of being all hugs and nice at New Year – with our comeback, I am going to stay healthy to provide the best voice we can get.”

Maria’s voice is the best in the group, but to actually hear Maria say it herself (not that she actually meant it that way but to just hear her words can mean that). “I don’t get where all of your confidence comes from,” Hannah smiles as she remembers Julia’s confidence from earlier today.

“You got it too, baby,” Maria smiles at the youngest, “but you only get it when we’re on the stage, hiding yourself behind the music and us. It’s okay to do that, at least you get the confidence when it’s needed. And to punch someone-”

“Okay, I get it,” Hannah laughs, pushing her friend lightly as she knows Maria will say she has enough confidence to punch someone.

“Ladies!” a voice calls out behind them and when turning around, both girls smile as Jonghyun is walking calmly up to them. “Pretty ladies drained in sweat, how are your practicing going?”

“Just finished practice and now heading home,” Maria answers and stretches out her arms to show how pleased she is with that, and she also notices how Hannah has gotten quiet when he steps up to them, the couple’s eyes says enough for the leader. “You seem to have gone through some hard work as well.”

Jonghyun smiles at her comment, finally catching up to them where he puts an arm around Hannah’s shoulders to walk with them. Maria had said he is sweaty, and Hannah can feel his body-heat through her clothes, glancing up at him she can see his hair wet from sweat. He looks really nice. Jonghyun looks at Maria though. “Would you allow me to come by your apartment later?” he asks Maria, and Hannah looks away with a huge smile because Jonghyun has asked her the same thing on his text messages and she has really wanted that but automatically she has told him she can’t promise anything. Secretly she wanted him to come anyway, because that’s the way he does it; never did she expect him to turn towards the leader.

“Ha! Asking for permission now, are we?” Maria is overjoyed at the question, and by her tone, Hannah knows Maria will agree to it. “After all this time…”

“Maria…” Jonghyun chuckles, knowing she is just going to .

“You’re not supposed to ask me, pretty boy,” Maria just smiles at him, glancing at Hannah who is looking at the wall they walk by. Jonghyun smiles widely when seeing how his girlfriend is looking as far away as possible. He looks back at Maria.

“You know how she is,” he says as if Hannah wasn’t there, “always thinking of the ladies first and all that. Even if her answer is ‘yes’, she will still want me to go through you.”

“Are you pretending I’m not here?” Hannah eventually asks Jonghyun, nudging him on the side so he laughs.

“Oh no, my love,” he overdoes his charm so both girls laughs at him – Maria a little louder than necessary. “I’m just saying what I know, and what I know is the truth-”

“Have you been drinking?” Hannah laughs for fun at Jonghyun’s try to talk poetical or something, and Jonghyun just kisses her hair in answer before asking Maria again what she says.

“I do hope you haven’t been drinking-” Maria starts to answer but Jonghyun laughs and tells her he asks about coming over later, not if he has been drinking. “If you’re quiet, you can come.”

“You hear that?” Jonghyun turns right away to Hannah with the most childish smile. “I’m coming, whether you want it or not.” And with that he kisses her and runs off while singing, leaving both girls just looking after him.

“Your boyfriend is weird,” Maria comments and starts to walk again. Hannah follows with her eyes still after Jonghyun, Maria smiles. “But he is alright if he puts you in such a good mood.”

She can’t deny that. Hannah can’t stop smiling after that, wondering when he will come and while drinking water the ladies head home and have to hear their manager repeatedly tell them all to get a good night of rest to be prepared for the last day of 2013. To hear their manager say that, the ladies glance at each other: It is already the last day of the year. A fear of that the days have passed so quickly is overshadowed by their sudden excitement that their comeback is just around the corner. As soon as the New Year comes, 5 Pieces will become the ladies working with [I Want A Man]. It will be fun.

Coming home they are talking so much about the last day, of the performances they will do and how utterly terrified they are to have their first comeback performance at MBC Gayo Daejun. It takes minutes before Hannah realises that Jonghyun is probably going to come, and she is fast to run up the stairs. Their manager just dropped them of so there is nothing to worry about there. Hannah has been sweating all day and as soon as she comes inside her bedroom she shuts the door, puts her cell phone on the bedside table and throws off her t-shirt to go take a quick shower.

She gets inside the bathroom she shares with Emelia, noticing she has no towel to use and sighs when heading across her bedroom to the other door to go grab a towel in the bigger bedroom. She is still wearing the sweats and bra, too busy running back and forth to try find everything for a quick shower. Coming back to her bedroom she throws the towel on the bed and steps over to look through her wardrobe to see what to change into.

“Always in a hurry.”

The sweet voice by the door makes Hannah hide behind the wardrobe door, and she stares out around it at Jonghyun who closes the door behind him. She can’t help but to stare at him. “How did you get here so fast?”

“I was right behind you,” he chuckles, eyeing her up and down even if she is hiding behind the door. “I waited for your manager to leave before I came up… Hannah, are you seriously hiding yourself from me?”

His question makes her blush. It’s quite silly, but she hided in a reaction to hear someone else in the room, and for another reason. “I probably stink.”

It’s not the way she wanted it to come out like, but Jonghyun just smiles at her. “Then we’re two,” he says in a low voice when walking up to her, a hand put below her chin for her to look up at him. Hannah starts to giggle by the look on his face.

“Are you in a hurry?” she jokes with him. “I didn’t even get a ‘hi’.”

“I’m about to say that,” Jonghyun smiles before his lips touches hers, and in a soft kiss he tells her in a low voice; “Hi, Nabi.”

He makes her melt, Hannah just able to smile against his lips before he kisses her again. She can feel his hands slide around her back, his fingers touching her bare skin and somehow she knows he thinks exactly of where each part of his hands are touching, and the thought of him focused on her shirtless upper body makes her body get all warm.

“I won’t be able to stay away from you tomorrow,” Jonghyun whispers with a smile against her lips, moving even closer to her with his hands holding on to her back. Hannah leans her head away with a laugh when he nibbles on her lip. “I’m sure I will get a lot of hate for it.”

“I will get even more,” Hannah giggles, putting her hands by his neck to try make him stop kissing her softly on the cheek. “Jonghyun!”

“What?” he chuckles, pretending to not know why she is giggling and moving in his arms, he keeps kissing her wherever he can reach, doing it softly and lovingly until Hannah stops resisting and kisses him back. It’s the only way she knows to make him stop. She eventually starts laughing again, this time because his hand glides down to her .

“Jonghyun!” she hisses, aware of the ladies in the apartment. Jonghyun just giggles deep in his throat, sounding evil and he looks like he really like her reactions.

“Tell me something,” Jonghyun starts to say when holding her firmly on the back, their eyes meet.

“What?” Hannah smiles at him, slowly breathing in while taking notice of his face closely in front of hers.

“Are you embarrassed to be together in public?” Jonghyun quietly asks with a hand going up to touch her hair. Hannah is a little taken back by the question as his playful face has suddenly gotten serious, the hint of a smile still visible but his eyes are looking for an honest answer. “You didn’t say much on the radio when you called me; instead you let the others talk. And I know you get uncomfortable when I have my arm around you in public; I do notice it.”

Hannah pouts. At times it’s difficult to be an open book for everyone.

“I’m not good at it, that’s all,” she tries to answer, her body still reacting at each movement he makes, at each finger on her back caressing her skin softly. She isn’t sure he is aware he is doing that because he is giving her face all his attention, maybe trying to see if she hides something. Like being said; she is an open book, and it’s difficult to hide anything from those deep eyes.

“You don’t like it?”

“What? No, it’s not that…”

“So you like it?”

“Jonghyun…”

“I’m curious,” he tells her with a soft smile when she sighs out his name. “I know a lot about you, but when it comes to … skin-ship, I seem to be in a different world. I can read your reactions, I know when you get uncomfortable and if I get too much. But I can’t always tell if you just want me to step away when we are among others or if you are just shy.”

Maybe not so widely open after all. Hannah smiles at his confession, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring his face even closer to hers. “Each time you touch me, no matter who is around, my whole body and mind reacts. I get shy in public because I would probably be smiling like a fool and I know a lot of people do not like it. I just don’t want to be too obvious about it all.”

“Maybe we need to show people that we don’t care what they think,” Jonghyun whispers at her, his lips almost brushes against hers. “I don’t care what they say or think. I am an artist and singer, but if I want to hold my arms around my girlfriend on the stage, I don’t think anyone should tell us we shouldn’t.”

“You know that’s not how things are like…”

“Hannah,” Jonghyun puts both hands in her hair, making sure she looks at him, “I love you. I want to show the whole world what you mean to me, and I know for sure there are people not liking that because it always is someone disliking something about everything, but that doesn’t change what I feel for you; what you feel for me.”

“You make it sound like I disagree with you,” Hannah mumbles in his tight grip, sounding calm but her insides are running a marathon, almost making her out of breath for what he tells her.

His face softens, giving her a soft kiss. “You are okay with tomorrow then?”

“No kissing or -touching and I will be okay,” Hannah jokes, giggling when he laughs. He grabs her too, making her almost scream in the laugh.

“Sssh, don’t be so loud.”

“Don’t make me then,” Hannah laughs, holding him tighter for a hug. “I’m nervous for tomorrow.”

“Me too,” Jonghyun mumbles with a smile in her hair. Both of them have been sweating all day, but they are just as comfortable as if they have just showered. “But I’ll take care of you. Trust me.”

 

During the day for rehearsals, Hannah looks like a lost kitten. She keeps looking around with big eyes, staying quiet and just doing what she is told. Nervously she holds the microphone in her hands, one second held in the left hand and then shifts to the right as her hands get all sweaty from being nervous. She was never this nervous to perform with Jonghyun before, but last year when they were performing the same song it was no one knowing of their relationship and it was more of a fun thing to do on the stage. Now, everyone will judge them as a real-life couple. One touch and people will react; will fans expect a lot of skin-contact or not much at all? Hannah is terrified for what to do.

The confidence her boyfriend always shows is still there, printed in his face and body language. But the hand he puts on her hand during rehearsals while going through what to do lets her know he is shaking out of nervousness of how this will turn out like. Unlike Hannah, he still has confidence that they will do well, that the audience will love their performance. He is nervous for the same reasons as Hannah, but somehow he has found confidence in them too.

She glances up at him, admiring the way he talks to the dancers about the part.

“Hannah, if you go over here,” a staff says and Hannah wakes up from spacing out, hurrying after the staff to the side.

There are two stages in the hall, one main and one smaller in the middle between the fans, both connected with stages along the walls; the stages by the walls will mostly be used as a place for idols to stand and enjoy certain songs during the show. For the couple, they will start off apart and then meet up in the middle before joining on the main stage. Now they practice the part on the main stage, Hannah and Jonghyun walking along the wall in some kind of musical act.

“Don’t think too much,” Jonghyun suggests when gliding up behind her by the wall, smirking when she glances at him. His hand touches her cheek in a swift move, both of them sure no one notices it as they are too busy with other things. It makes Hannah blush though.

She is more comfortable on the stage, taking this more as a job than anything else as this is something she really knows what she is supposed to do. On the stage, everything is like scripted. There are no questions if you should smile or stare, if you should take left foot first or the right because all that is gone through during rehearsals. Being in a relationship is like living in a big question-mark, never knowing if you should go for it or take a step back, what the other person could be thinking of feeling… Hannah for that never know how to react or be like around Jonghyun in public, but the moment they take on the stage, she need to remind herself that she walk up there as the artist and not the girlfriend. It’s difficult though, both parts of her want to be on the stage the same way Jonghyun seems to manage it. She finds herself admiring him when they work together, fascinated by how he can be so focused on their job but whenever he looks at her he has that loving glint in his eyes that makes her wonder if he even is focusing at all on anything else than her.

At times, Hannah isn’t sure if she is breathing or not, but she definitely has fun rehearsing with Jonghyun. He does exactly as he did at practice yesterday; he holds her a little too close, almost so close that his nose brushes against hers before Hannah leans away. He knows exactly what he does every time.

Last night they had ended up talking. They had kissed so much, even undressed to go to bed, but their night was talking and caressing and staring at each other. It made her feel loved, like she didn’t have to stop talking or has to hide her feelings because each time she looked at Jonghyun, his eyes reflected hers. The way they look at each other in the bedroom, the way they touch each other, is probably the most intimacy Hannah will ever feel with another person. It’s unbelievable how she can not behave the same way out in public, but after yesterday, Jonghyun doesn’t seem to mind. He knows more about her, even if it is a small detail that they both have taken much notice of, he couldn’t help but to wonder because in the past he had been the one wanting to make their relationship public but Hannah did not. Once in a while, a question is better than just wondering.

Their rehearsal is just one of many. In the morning, 5 Pieces had done a pre-recording with a remix of all their hit songs through the years, as this is their fifth year passing by and the fans present had seemed to really, deeply enjoy it. With that being taken care of in the morning, the ladies could focus on the SM Collaboration that Hannah and Emelia would be part of as well as the big reverse comeback performance rehearsals for [I Want A Man]. What is fascinating during the rehearsal of 5 Pieces’ comeback song is that the ladies watch the staff prepares the stage, which during the live will be prepared while 5 Pieces’ pre-recorded performance will air. A lot of idols are watching the rehearsal on the TV-screens in the back, quietly watching as this is the first view of the new song.

Carolina’s cold has gotten worse, and 5 Pieces’ preparations to stun people with a live performance of their new song is ruined when everyone around them suggests for a lip-synch performance instead.

It delays the rehearsal to make a decision; because Carolina too wants to do the song live, saying her voice will be better tonight even if everyone knows that is far from any kind of truth. In the end, they send a request to let 5 Pieces sing live – only Carolina will lip-synch.

After the rehearsals have ended for everyone, it is time to get ready for the show. Hannah and Carolina doesn’t get ready the same way as the others, as the two of them will go perform at SBS Drama Awards at the same time as the show starts. During the day, Hannah almost forgot about it. She and Carolina get ready and leave for rehearsals at the award show about one and a half hour before it starts, quickly go through the song on stage before heading backstage for the audience to come take their seats.

Hannah’s involvement in the drama Mr & Miss is the reason they attend SBS Drama Awards; with Carolina producing the OST song Hannah sang for the drama, they were asked to perform it together. So Hannah won’t attend as an actress, though she walks around backstage and is recognized as the actress in the drama before they are told she is there just for a performance and people compliment 5 Pieces instead. She has been nominated in about one or two categories, but she won’t win and for that is only there for the performance with her friend.

Carolina is wearing a black mesh overlay maxi skirt with a thin top on top, tugged inside the maxi skirt. It looks really nice on her, her bronde hair is a little wavy with a headband letting her look a little cuter, and she is holding on tightly to her very own guitar wherever the two of them are walking. Just this acoustic guitar is in a red colour with darker edges; her signature is down in the corner in the nicest cursive handwriting. Hannah’s long blonde hair is put up in a messy pony-tail, a few locks hangs down next to her face. She is wearing a studded-trim cheer-back chiffon tank top (a white bra underneath makes it difficult to see if the tank top is transparent or not) and a pair of light-blue waist-high jeans, a simple gold necklace hanging around her neck. Both of them have super high heels, Hannah’s outfit reminds her of the drama she filmed while Carolina got the mesh overlay maxi skirt based on the concept she has had through the year. They are each other’s opposites, one dressed in black and one dressed in white, also this is based on the drama where Hannah sang the song [You are] while her “husband” Kim Jaejoong sang the song [I Am], both being about two different people in a strong love.

The award show starts eventually; actors and actresses have fancily dressed up sitting in front of the stage while Hannah receives a text message from Jonghyun who tells them who is performing and what is happing over at MBC. He is waiting for her to come back. It makes her smile, but as soon as she glances up at Carolina, her thoughts of performing with Jonghyun later go away and she takes Carolina’s hand in hers. Her friend looks startled at it, maybe not expecting Hannah to be the one taking another person’s hand. But Hannah smiles at her.

“You okay?”

Carolina nods, staring at the screen in front of them. “I have never performed like this before.”

Something that Hannah has done so many times, she forgets that she before looked just as troubled as Carolina is doing now. Carolina hugs Hannah’s hand, swallowing awkwardly. Carolina has never performed live like a duet this way, never performed at an award show without all five members in 5 Pieces, never faced this many top actors and actresses at once. It is the first time she will perform her own song live as well, not counting the time a few weeks ago when she performed the same song for her Music Corner – because that was recorded several of times and aired. For once, Hannah isn’t the nervous one; with Carolina being nervous, Hannah gets the confidence that is what takes them up on the stage to do their performance.

The screen shows the teaser for the drama Mr & Miss for everyone to look elsewhere when they take their positions on the stage. The main camera that has showed the video that was playing in the back zooms out as the piano and guitar begins to play. Back in the corner is a pianist playing the piano, while at the centre of the stage sits Carolina on a bar stool, her outfit makes her look both longer and thinner sitter there with the guitar in her arms, playing with her face glancing up at Hannah standing next to her. Hannah tries to not look at all the faces of celebrities in front of them; instead she looks down a bit when starting the soft ballad song;

*You are~ You are~ You are~*

*When I open my eyes – Your warm hand holds mine – You are here, I can see

When you whisper lovely in my ear – These secret words of ours*

*You are my safe place – I know you will protect me*

[CHORUS] *My heart~ – Where you are – Please don’t leave this place – You are in my heart~ So please don’t leave me standing alone~*

In the background the long screen reveals clips from the drama, mostly the couple scenes between the two couples in the secret agent drama, including scenes of Hannah and Kim Jaejoong smiling in a dreamy bed, Hannah lying down on top of the white sheets and saying something that is of course not heard now. Everyone focuses on the music, Hannah focuses on the lyrics and her voice. She loves this song, thinking Carolina did amazingly in writing it and it fits the melody perfectly. It’s the perfect sad love ballad for the drama scenes showed behind them, the cameras filming them as if they are the most beautiful thing within these walls.

*When I close my eyes – Your warm embrace I remember – You are here, I know you are

When I whisper lovely in your ear – Those secret words of ours*

*You would shoot for me – Kill for me, live for me – Because you are*

[CHORUS] *My heart~ – Where you are – Please don’t leave this place – You are in my heart~ So please don’t leave me standing alone~*

The clips from the drama showed in the background fits perfectly. Hannah can’t see it, neither can Carolina, but the audience and those watching at home all can, seeing the fighting scenes and the kissing scenes of one couple, the sweet moments and the couple fights, them all running away and working together. It is a lot to take in; a lot of scenes, but it leaves everyone focused. Hannah’s voice doesn’t waver a bit. She feel the confidence to stand on this stage because Carolina is next to her, helping her out with the guitar and to not put all focus on just one girl, and she is confident because it is Carolina’s song and she wants to give them the best performance to give the interest in this song. For the ending, Hannah’s voice goes a little higher, parts sang out a little longer and she receive cheers from the crowd at each part.

*Wherever you are, there I am – Irresistible love, irresponsible love

However you are, you with me – Romantic love, beautiful love*

*You are~ You are~ You are~*

[CHORUS] *My heart~ – Where you are – Please don’t leave this place – You are in my heart~ So please don’t leave me standing alone~*

[CHORUS] *My heart~ – Where you are – Please don’t leave this place – You are in my heart~ So please don’t leave me standing alone~*

Actors and actresses sitting together around the small tables in front of the stage clap their hands when the song ends, some clapping above their heads to show how much they appreciated the performance, and several are smiling while applauding since Hannah turns around to take Carolina’s hand, letting her friend stand up before they both give a nice bow. Being a singer is more comfortable to Hannah than being an actress, because there she is never really alone, and she can now start worrying about her next time on stage.

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Headline 29th: Maria Blow Minds Performing [Classic Girl] Feature Emelia On MBC Entertainment Awards

Headline 29th: Julia Share A Cute Selfie With SNSD’s Sunny On Instagram

Headline 29th: Last Episode Airs With 5 Pieces’ New Year Greetings, Asking Fans To Be Healthy And Look Forward To Their Promotions In 2014

Headline 29th: 5 Pieces Do A Special Stage Together On SBS Gayo Daejun

 

Monday, Headline 30th: The Best Of The Best, Korean Magazine Counts 5 Pieces’ TOP10 Moments In 2013

 

Headline 31st: 5 Pieces’ Hannah & Carolina Performs OST Song [You Are] On SBS Drama Awards

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X. devonalias