With stage lights down, hushed whispers and vague silhouettes are the only indication of the band on stage. One such whisper earns a well-timed rimshot, shattering the stage silence along with a quartet of stifled laughter and an amused-but-direct whisper of "Dude, shut the hell up-"
"Oh my goddd, you guys are the worst...ssaem, you can turn the lights on." Sunny initially whines around a laugh before speaking up to be picked up by her mic, her sentence partially drowned by a chorus of cheers from the waiting crowd as lifted lights reveal the five-piece band. Naturally, she's the first to speak up, a hand carding through her hair to get it out of her face.
"Hankyu-oppa and Yaeji ruined the vibe—boooo, everybody boo!" She cuts herself off, inviting everyone to boo the band's vocal and drummer while sending the former's mildly annoyed dad glare a cheeky grin before holding up a hand to stop the din.
"Okay, sooo- hey guys! We tried to be cool, but that never works out, so let's just get into it! If you know us, you know us. And, if you know us, you know we're always a mess. Never professional. If this is your first show, or you were just trying to go clubbing and we fucked that up, welcome! ...And sorry haha. And hi! I'm Sunny and we're Chanlanhagaebitnaneun—'Radiant' in English...and for short. And we're gonna play a few songs for you tonight! We'll introduce everyone later but for now, y'know..." She introduces while adjusting the strap of the bass she'd barely been able to equip before the nonsense had ensued. As if the group was a well-oiled machine, Hankyu picks up immediately where her sentence trails off.
"This first song is called Bin." And he gestures for the lights to once again go down so they can be lifted on the intended cue, when the percussion comes in.
--
The audience's responsiveness to the usual nonsense always gives her that extra kick of energy to start a show off well; this time was no different. Bin opens up explosively, always a fan and band favorite for the intro that just got everyone into the right mood. Throughout the show, there's almost always some sort of smile on Sunny's face—be it wide grins as people really get into the song and start jumping right along with the band or the relaxed simper as instrumental breaks leave the song's emotion to hang above the crowd.
Terrible jokes at the member-of-the-moment's expense cause bright laughter that have her clapping her hands together and it's even better as the fans laugh too, creating a buzzing that can only be described as warm in its immensity. At times like these, she always finds herself thinking about how happy she is.
Despite not being able to see the crowd well under the blinding lights, she still likes to peer around, squinting past the beams, even if it only results in the fuzziest semblance of a face in some. She likes to think that she'd caught a few someones' gazes with her shining own, even if she can't tell.
From more abrasive songs like the opener, to brighter songs that feel like the coming summer, and the jazzier, more relaxed songs, like A, the band breezes through an two hour's worth of songs and talk segments in what feels like a blink.
"...is a gamble. see? and love, is an act of surrender..."
During the final song of the night, the band has actually hunkered down to sit on stage as the crackling speech of the prerecorded speaker in Love Is All Around plays, accompanied by newly discharged Jaemyung's sweet, acoustic guitar. Footage of the band's own home videos plays on the screen behind them and each member takes turns shouting out their own proclamations of love, some embarrassed and cringe-giggling.
"Hey! I love you guys!!" Sunny yells proudly on her turn, hands cupped around her mouth to amplify so there's no chance for anyone to not hear the precious words that she means with her entire heart. "Please keep on supporting 'Radiant' and congratulate Myung on coming back to us in one piece."
Smiling, she reaches over to ruffle the latter's hair. His grin is equally warm, though his eyes never leave his instrument. Satisfied, she resumes addressing the crowd after a pause to just admire them, now visible while more or less beneath the light's trajectory. There are proverbial hearts in her eyes as she takes in every face.
"You guys...let's continue to be a family, mh?" she suggests, voice almost imperceptibly wobbly with growing emotion. This is her home. This is where she should be—not rushing through idol schedules on little food and rest. She doesn't regret the time spent under Petal's roof, but she doesn't regret having to walk away either. "Promise?"
Sunny finishes her turn then, extending a pinky high above her head. A few people raise their hands, along with the rest of the band; before long the majority is signing off on the promise. She grins, moving her hand in the promise-sealing gesture and even bringing her closed hand down to press a sweet kiss to it. She lets someone else take over with the final words and good nights while a deep, comforting warmth grows in her chest.
Eventually, the show is over and everyone begins to make their way out or disperse to other parts of the venue to continue their night. Chatting animatedly about the turnout and show, the band does the same and makes their way backstage, with Sunny launching herself to back hug their precious returnee.
