#dat is all

she doesn't know where the time goes, practicing with woohyun, because when she comes to, it's already performance day. she's excited than she is nervous as she waits backstage with woohyun, wiggling in her spot in excitement with her mic wedged between her palms. she spends the remaining minutes to go over the lyrics in her head a few more times, just in case, before turning to look at woohyun.

"..." her smile fades slightly at the look on his face, and she grows a little worried. is he nervous? while she thinks he couldn't be (considering he's done this way more than she has herself), her hand acts on its own and reaches for his before she realizes.

he turns and she smiles, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"oppa, it's okay," she tells him in a hushed voice, lips curling up into a bigger smile. "we can do this! just breathe... and relax!" she takes in a deep breath and lets it out to demonstrate, giving him a nod. "just tell yourself we're back at the practice room again. we've done this before, it'll be okay!" she brings up a fist to tell him hwaiting, finally smiling again when he replies with a nod. and with that, she walks on stage with him when it's their turn.

she takes a quick look around-- at the crowd and at the decorations that make the week of christmas really real-- then lets her eyelids fall shut as she takes in a calm breath. when she opens her eyes back up, she's ready, and she sways with the music as it plays.

she briefly wonders if woohyun's still nervous, though decides it doesn't matter as she makes sure to meet eyes with him as they start the song off with some humming. she's suddenly glad that she sings first; perhaps she can do well in helping woohyun calm his nerves during her part? she's about to find out.

the reason why i started feeling distant from you at some point in time, is because after i saw you with someone else, the image of you in the embrace of them on a snowy winter night has been left deep within my heart

she keeps her gaze on his own the whole time, not forgetting to smile and nod at him to silently tell him it's okay-- that they're back at the practice room again, goofing off during breaks before getting serious during their singing.

when it's his turn, everything mijoo had been worried about washes away in an instant; he sings beautifully, without a hint of nervousness in his voice, and she can't help the bright smile that finds her lips. she quickly presses them together though, making sure she doesn't grin too toothily and ruin the overall feel of their performance, before bringing her mic back up to join woohyun and create their harmony that they had been slaving over for weeks.

please wait a little for me because being able to love again is still too overwhelming for me please think of me-- of the days we spent together since sometime last winter-- until tears fall from the longing

they exchange light adlibs during the instrumental break, and mijoo's back to keeping her eyes on woohyun again as they do so. she builds her adlibs from his own as he does the same, and she sways lightly to the rhythm before preparing to go back in.

i wonder for how long i must go on forgetting you i wonder if you're already living your life while having forgotten me the snow is falling again right now, but i get no words from you when i'm thinking about you again because i want to see you

she wonders if the song's lyrics are a little too melancholy to fit in with spirit of christmas, but then thinks the instrumental is festive enough. it's not a slow ballad, thankfully, and when she catches some of the audience members swaying along with her and woohyun, she's not so worried about it anymore.

the chorus comes again, and she gives woohyun a knowing look as they sing together: "please wait a little for me; if you can wait until i'm able to understand, it's not such a long time~ please think of me-- of the image of me standing alone in the snow-- until tears fall from the longing~"

and then they're there, the part they had been nervous about the most, though they had practiced it extra hard as much as they were worried. she follows woohyun's lead of starting the series of adlibs, bouncing back and forth before finally hitting it together-- the high note-- then trills down in time with each other like they had practiced many, many times.

she's able to break off from the final note of their hard work with a bright smile, adrenaline rushing through her every being as she bounces and sways along to the music with woohyun next to her. the success of their high note as well as their vocal runs gives her even more confidence to go back and forth with each other with more adlibs, and she's so relaxed throughout the rest of the song.

as the music fades, her eyes are on woohyun the whole time before she finally tears them away to look at the crowd, and she bows deeply. when she comes back up, her signature gummy smile sits comfortably on her features as she waves with both hands, mouthing thank you to everyone.