How can i make my christmas lights dance to music
How to Make Your Christmas Lights Sync to Music - Smart Garage | Home Automation
Christmas Light Sync to Music? How?
If you are reading this article, you must have googled the keyword, “Christmas light show.” You probably also found many videos of great Christmas light show that synchronize perfectly with various pop songs. If you want your own lights to flash to the tunes of your favorite music, then you must make a plan and get the right types of equipment for your light show set up. You need to spend a lot of time, lighting and tools to complete it to ensure the end result is awesome. Here are the 10 steps to your light show set up:
- Decide your light show scale
- Prepare your light show equipment
- Obtain a control system
- Acquire outside assistance
- Design your display
- Program your show
- Let them hear you
- Get powered up
- Publicize
- Maintain your display
1.
When planning a light show, one of the first steps is to determine how many channels your show requires and what lighting elements will be controlled by each channel. Decide how your lights show scale is important. You can either choose a specific highlight spot of your house or choose to light up your entire house. While you are planning the scale of your light show, you need to understand following set up concepts:
- Know your Channel number requirements.
- A channel is a unit of lights that can be controlled individually. The flash of a string of Christmas light is controlled by one channel.
- All the lights in a channel work as a single unit. Unfortunately, you can’t flash an individual light bulb. However, you can control the flashing speed and frequency to match your music categories.
- For an entire house set up, you may need up to 64 channels. Any bigger than that, you might need a professional to assist you.
- A medium-size house typically needs 32 channels to set up.
- A small scale like your garage, your front door, or your living room tree area, you can consider using our TapTap for simple (still professional) set up.
Once you decided the scale of your light show, now you will need to prepare for the equipment, specifically, the Christmas lights. The best time to purchase your Christmas light would be after Christmas, usually the price fall to 20-30% of the regular price. However, you can always check out online deals on Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, K-Mart for special sales. Your total list of equipment includes:
- Christmas Lights
- Light Control System
- Software System
- Sound System
LED Christmas Lights
In addition, we would also recommend you choosing LED Christmas lights for several benefits. Most people know that LED Christmas lights save a lot of electricity but there are many more reasons to consider making the switch.
Connect More Light Strings
You can typically connect 8 to 10 times more LED light strings together end to end while only using one plug outlet. Most traditional Christmas mini lights allow you to connect only 4 or 5 sets end to end, but with many LED mini light strings you can connect 40 to 50+ together depending on the light count. This makes decorating large Christmas displays far easier.
Cool to the Touch
LEDs produce next to no heat, which means they’re always cool to the touch and safe for children and animals to be around all season.
Visually Unparalleled
LED bulbs produce a brighter more vivid light than traditional incandescent bulbs. The light output is stunning and one of the most complimented aspects of LED lights in customer reviews!
Incredibly Long Life
Many LED light sets are rated to last tens of thousands of hours, which is well beyond a traditional set of incandescent mini lights that typically may last only a season or two.
Advanced Technology, Innovative Designs
LEDs are available in a kaleidoscope of colors and several varieties even feature unique light display capabilities such as being dimmable and color changing. The newest RGB LEDs are even capable of thousands of light color combinations!
LED lights are much easier to use for large Christmas displays, they are safer, they last longer, they produce more vivid color and use up to 90% less energy. Now you know why so many people have already made the switch.
3. Obtain a light show control system.
When it comes to a control system, you have 3 options based on your knowledge and budget:
- A fully built system
- A kit
- A DIY control system
I. A fully built light show system
A fully built system is a system that made and tested out of the box. It costs you about $20 – $25 per channel. A fully built system can be purchased from various online stores.
If you are the following type of person, you should go for this because it saves you a lot of time!
- Those do not want to do any electrical work.
- Those who have no idea of where to start.
II. A light show Kit
A light show kit is s starter kit that functions almost the same as the system. It costs from $15 or so per channel, but it’s pretty much the same thing as a fully built product. The only difference that I can think off is the enclosure, and it is very simple to place an electronics board in an enclosure.
- A great option if you’re looking to save money.
- You can pretty much purchase all the parts from the online store now, including the bare circuit board and the parts.
- Require minor work and customization.
III. A DIY Light Show control system (DIY KIT)
A DIY system costs roughly $5 per channel and up. The price depends on how much you actually do yourself.
A system consists of a controller, which communicates with your computer, and solid-state relays (SSRs), which actually switch the lights. SSRs can be bought or made yourself.
- Budget saver
- Requires lots of time on hardware
- Total customization
- For those who enjoy the engineering process!
4. Get the right Light Show Software.
The light show software breaks the song into segments, allowing you to program each channel of light to either fade, twinkle or turn on and off in each section. Most of us are not software programmers; therefore, getting software for your light show system is essential. There are a few venders that provide excellent services, and some software can be free when you purchase the whole package. Here are some of the current software options you should consider!
Free source:
- Vixen is a free, open-source software for Christmas lighting. If you’re just starting out, and are not looking into detail perfection, then Vixen may be a good starting option for you.
- xLights is a popular Christmas sequencing program for the “DIY” community. It is open source like Vixen. xLights has a strong passionate community behind it, and you can see that the developers are constantly improving the functions of the software. The only downside that xLights requires some learning curve. For those who want to be professional in the light show community, xLights is the best and most often updated program for now.
- Light-O-Rama provides is a paid program. To me personally, it is a bit expensive for “once-a-year” use. To me, the set up is a bit complex and difficult too.
Note, if you are a tech-wizard who wish to program the whole thing yourself, you might not be able to have the option for pre-built products, as most of the brand products are closed-source and hard to be compatable with the others.
Quick reminder! Making a total DIY system is fun, but for beginners, it’s a lot of electronic troubles.
If you are building a small scale fun light show. You should check out TapTap, a 6 channel christmas light controller. It even has a built in AI that builds the light show for you. And it can synchronize with Asante GV- The smart garage door opener!
5. Design your display, Light Styles & Decorating Ideas
Design the actual outside portion of your display. Common elements to include the following types of lights & locations:
- Mini lights or net lights display – windows, bushes & walls
- Icicle lights or c-series display – roof and ceiling design
- Mini Trees / Tomato cages display – animated tree display
- A Mega Tree display – large animated tree display
- Wireframes display – 2D or 3D in shape, animated display
- Blow molds display – yard corner display
- C9 Christmas Lights Display – outdoor, sideway display
Mini lights or net lights display
Mini lights or net lights usually go on landscaping, such as bushes, windows and a large area of walls.
Icicle lights or c-series lights display.
Icicle lights or c-series lights usually go on the roof and ceiling area.
Mini Trees / Tomato cages display.
Mini Trees / Tomato cages wrapped in lights of one or multiple colors. Arranged in a line or a triangle, they are very useful in an animated display.
A Mega Tree display
A Mega Tree usually consists of a large pole with lights extending from the top to a large ring around the base. Again, it is very useful in animation.
Wireframes display
Wireframes Christmas displays are metal frames with lights attached. It can be either 2D or 3D in shape.
Blow molds display
Blow molds are plastic lighted sculptures of deer, Santas, etc. They are usually placed throughout the yard.
C9 Christmas Lights Display
C9 Lights are bulbous, colorful lights that usually go on the yard perimeter.
6. Program your show
Program your light show is time-consuming! This process includes your music of choice, which node should sync with which light string, and how long should your display be.
The traditional programing can take up to a few months. The more your channels are, the more complicated your show is.
Taptap II includes a built-in AI that can help you generate a sync song automatically. The AI itself will save you lots of time in managing your display.
7. Speaker Options
Okay, now let’s talk about the speaker of choices. If you have a large scale light display, you will need to make sure that your speakers are good enough for the area to hear, but you also need to be mindful of your neighbors. Speakers playing the same music over and over again will sometimes drive the neighbors crazy.
If you noticed that your neighbor might not be too happy about the light show music, you will need to broadcast over an FM frequency.
There are many outdoor speakers, make sure the speaker you use is dusk resist and water resist. Once the speaker is set, Respectfully inform your neighbors of your plan to create a light show display.
Stick to a single showing at the top of the hour, once or twice a night. Once your neighbor knows your display schedule, you should be okay with the light display. My trick is to include their favorite songs into your display list and make it a group project.
8. Promote your light show work
Finally, your light show is ready. If this is your first time putting the light show together, you would need someone to spread your work and build a good reputation for you. Here are some steps we recommend you from easy to professional:
- The easiest is always, putting a sign in your yard. Stating your light show playtime, FM frequency, etc.
- Let your friends, neighbors, and work buddies know about your display time
- Put your show online through social media, facebook, Instagram, etc. Make sure you put your light show location, broadcasting time and keyword search into the video titles (SEO)
- Build a website, do SEO. Make it a family tradition.
- Go into competitions.
Such as “The Great Christmas Light Fight”
Again, inform your neighbors that you are publicizing your display. They’ll be much more accommodating if they know your plan to attract attention from around the neighborhood.
Finally, Enjoy your work and holidays!!
Additional Tips
- Try to manage your time. Setting up a light show is time-consuming. To manage things effectively, try to research all kinds of information online and manage the time well. Check each light strings before you set up the display as well.
- Be careful with the electronics. Make sure you research the information regards to electronic works. You may watch some YouTube tutorials for a step by step guide.
- Check out the free forums. If you plan to make it a big show, try to join the community and check out other peoples design and ideas.
- Talk to neighbors, police, and your homeowner’s association about possible issues with traffic flow, noise, etc.
It is much easier to prevent problems than to correct them. However, make sure they understand that there might be problems, not that there will be problems. People need to know what to expect, but don’t stress things so that they shut you down before you even start up your display! - FPGAs make fantastic custom control devices, which can hook between an RS232 connection on a PC and a relay board for the lights. An entry-level Spartan 3e Xilinx demo board is around $150.
- Safety is always the number one rule. If your neighborhood has a lot of pets and kids, make sure your set is kids and pet-friendly to avoid any injuries.
How to Sync Your Christmas Lights to Music
With our expert's advice, your holiday display will embody the sights and sounds of the season.
Nashia Baker, Associate Digital Editor at Martha Stewart
By Nashia Baker November 05, 2020
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team.
If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Christmas home with festive holiday lighting and snow
Credit: James Brey / Getty Images
When Christmas nears each year, those ready to celebrate begin to decorate their homes—especially in lights. "Lighting is a game-changer when it comes to the aesthetic of your home, and Christmas lights are no different," says Caroline Harmon, Lowe's trend and style expert. "Adding a touch of string lights to your home will brighten your space and make it feel cozier." And one way to add even more of a memorable touch to your décor is by synchronizing your Christmas lights to festive music for the holidays—whether you decide to have an indoor or outdoor display. Ahead, we asked an expert for his insight into making your music and light show come together in perfect harmony.
Set up a light system with software.
According to Gary McCoy—a Lowe's store manager in Charlotte, North Carolina—the first step when planning your holiday light show is to decide how you want to show the lights themselves: either in a small area inside your home or on your house's façade.
"The light show will ultimately be controlled in channels, which is a unit of lights that can be controlled individually, so keep this in mind as you plan the scope of your show," he explains. "If this is your first show, 30 to 60 channels are a good size to start considering the many steps it takes to initiate setup."
Next, make sure to stock up on lights, McCoy notes—whether you go with classic lights or ones that vary in color and size is entirely up to you. After this, you will need a control system to bring everything together and run the effects and colors, like the Gemmy Orchestra of Lights ($19.98, lowes.com). "There are also fully built systems, light kits, and DIY systems that you can consider to control your light show," he adds. "Depending on what system you choose, you will need to identify a compatible software program (you can download this from an app store) as a part of the control system to help you control the music and coordinate your light show.
" After you've chosen your control system and software program, you now get to pick out the music and how you want the lights to respond to the tunes. McCoy does suggest giving yourself time (about a few weeks) to get this step down as the programming alone can be time-consuming.
Stay safe when syncing.
While creating a light show is a fun process, don't forget your safety when putting this all together. McCoy advises to check for broken lights or any damage from the weather each morning. "This will keep your display fully operational and [will help you] avoid any hazards that could result from broken lights or exposed electrical wires," the expert adds. "Additionally, when setting up your outdoor display, make sure your home has enough outside power to run your lights—a typical mini light strand will draw about 1/3 amp." Even though outdoor lights can generally be left on 24/7 and have an average lifespan of 1,000 hours—McCoy recommends consulting with a professional if you aren't sure if your home has enough outside power for a long-term light and music display.
"As a starting point, understanding the amperage allowed for your breaker will provide insight into how much power the unit can handle," he shares. "But keep in mind that it's important to understand if the breaker is powering anything additional in your home, which is where an electrician can support."
Keep lighting festive.
As the holidays are filled with cheer, this time could be perfect to personalize and dress up your home to speak to the season. "While classic holiday string lights are a go-to option, icicle lights—like the GE StayBright White Mini LED Plug-In Christmas Icicle Lights ($14.98, lowes.com)—are a fun way to brighten up a wall or add curb appeal to your front porch," Harmon shares. She adds that rope lights—such as the GE StayBright Multicolor Integrated LED Plug-In Christmas Rope Lights ($29.98, lowes.com)—are also great for the outdoors since they can move and extend to shape of your display. To give even more of a festive feel to your lights, Harmon recommends connecting your music to a music conductor speaker—like the Sonos One SL speaker ($179, amazon.
com).
Lastly, you should also keep courtesy at the forefront with your entire musical light display since you and your neighbors are likely spending more time at home than usual. "The best way to give passersby the opportunity to listen to your coordinated light show is by broadcasting over an FM frequency," McCoy says, "instead of playing the music out loud in your yard on repeat."
| be my shadow This night the fern will bloom in marvelous color I live in expectation of a miracle like a Mauser in a holster I ran through spyglasses Be my shadow, creaky step, It’s good to dance on coals, | Buy |
| Love is on the wire Tomorrow, a car will hit me at this place I love people - I love when they are not there, Love is here, love is there, Love rings the keys to any locks, Love goes through wires There was a wise man, now he is gone, Love is here, love is there, Love is here, love is there0006 Love is on the wire | Buy |
| The black color of the sun All circles will disperse, She had a rule - not to trust those If you hear, if you hear me, It's so hard to believe at the station And his steps resound If you hear, if you hear me, You can call this song | Buy |
| Samovar Hot samovar, honey carpets I spoke to you until dawn I will show you the flight of an airplane Dense forests , magical glades I still don't know if you're an elf or a goblin | Buy |
| A victim of melted ice He sang and his line flowed And the night smoothly went into the steppe He sang like a tear fell A victim of melted ice ... The movement from brotherhood to kinship He sang - prayed for him, A victim of melted ice ... Take your fingers off the wires and strings, Hey, you, delay the New Year, | Buy |
| What will you do? No one takes a step, no one remembers, no one cries I was alone these days, I measured them for years What will you do when a time bomb Rewrite your life on blank pages What will you do when a time bomb No one will take a step, won't remember, won't cry | Buy |
| fish without panties And on the seas, yes on the waves P-early-early in the morning And I'm swimming where I want And I am a fish without panties, and I am a fish without panties, And there is a pirate on board, Sometimes it seems to me that I am And I'm a fish without panties, and I'm a fish without panties, *option "sweet aroma" | Buy |
| Story We went dear unfortunate to seek our destiny I drink a little more than I can, but less than I want Ivan was fabulously rich but had no children Happy Ivan snored like a Red Army regiment Having said all this, the wolf disappeared, Ivan opened his eyes - Ivan galloped for four days to Kudykina mountain They set traps along the forest roads Ivan drank wine all summer, walking along the marshes It was like a conventional sign - a fire broke out Makar cursed: "e-mine", but quietly, not from evil Twelve years have passed since then, Makar sat down for bribes The old man finished, quietly got up, opened the hayloft for us slept
| Buy |
| Nothing to do inside Nothing to do inside, I'm standing on the doorstep Who am I - a drug addict, an alcoholic, a tramp Know that I wanted to run away, but I have nowhere to go The fleet was sunk - only admirals were left There is no joy in an undertone - so yell, my throat! Know, I wanted to run away, but I have nowhere to go | Buy |
| Walk through the forest Go through the forest We were told that we are alone on this earth, Tie all my threads in a knot The time of the trains went on the rails on foot How many roads lead home from home - A on green grass, on green grass We were told that we are alone on this earth, How many roads lead home from home | Buy |
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.. Spring - Chapter 1 - flower_ass - 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys
Chapter Text
In the winter, Yoongi stops working on a mixtape.
“It’s not good to lie like that, Yoongi-ya,” Seokjin sighs. “All you do is go to class, work to the end, eat and then go to bed.
— Isn't that the life of a student? Yoongi replies and the elder rolls his eyes.
“I’m your hyung and I demand respect.” He sits across from Yoongi. “I'm just worried about you. Lately, you haven't been doing anything you like.
— What do you mean?
Jin shrugs.
- Your camera is gathering dust on the shelf. I haven't seen you go to the basketball court in weeks. And you haven't been in the studio at all lately... Did something happen to the mixtape? Is something not going well?
— I will return to him when the time is right.
— When will the time come? Seokjin says doubtfully, and Yoongi nods.
— Nothing has inspired me lately, that's all. And I'm not going to create a mixtape full of empty words and false stories. It must have passion. Something important.
— Then take a walk, find something new, do something already, , — the elder claps.
“You can’t be inspired by lying in bed all day.
— I go to class.
- You know what I mean Yoongi.
Yoongi shrugs:
— It's too cold this year, hyung. You know how much I hate the cold. It just kills my mood. Do not worry about me.
- You say it's because of the weather have you become a lethargic lump?
— Yes.
— Because of the winter.
— Yes.
- Because of the winter that comes and goes every year, the cold that comes at the same time every year, and the frost that you feel from birth.
Yoongi looks away, realizing that, to put it that way, it sounds a little silly, but he still says:
— Yes.
“I give up,” the elder makes a sound full of frustration. “You will come to Hoseok and Jimin’s for the winter dance showcase, right?” Or are you going to stay in the room because it's too cold to walk to the auditorium?
“Of course I’ll come,” Yoongi replies coldly. “Don’t make me so terrible hyung, you know I won’t miss their performance for anything.
And why is my room such a terrible place?
Jin ignores the question, instead muttering under his breath:
— I can't believe I miss the days when you hung out in your studio and did something useful . It's nice of course that you began to appear in the apartment more often, Yoongi, but I miss that time.
“ I miss him too, hyung, ” the younger wants to answer but stays silent. Instead, he reaches out, grabbing the remote, and Seokjin calms down, nestling comfortably beside him. They spend the evening watching some trashy drama that Yoongi can't even remember the name of.
Severe winter with frosty winds and dull weather. Even though it's already dark, Yoongi can still see the gray sky. It looks cold and unattractive.
He flinches, getting a worried look from Jin.
“Don’t worry about me,” Yoongi repeats, and the elder looks away.
Seokjin knows what Min will say so he doesn't worry about him; Yoongi knows that he won’t listen to him, and he will still worry.
It's a familiar aspect of Yoongi's life that he's grateful for.
— What shall we order for dinner? Jin asks. The last conversation has dropped, causing the tension to evaporate and Yoongi to smile.
“Lamb skewers,” he replies quickly and laughs when Seokjin hits him.
* * *
“I'm glad you came today, hyung,” Namjoon says gratefully, dusting his hot chocolate with sugar.
— Me too. We haven't seen you in such a long time, hyung.” Taehyung circles around him. “Why do you only take black coffee?” This shop has the best hot chocolate in the world.
“I’ll drink whatever I want, change,” Yoongi replies, and the younger snorts.
- Hey, you're boring, Yoongi-hyung.
- Do you want to die, Kim Taehyung? Don't make me nervous.
They are instantly distracted by Jun, which almost knocks the whole jar of sugar off the table. Luckily, Taehyung is quick enough to catch her, but both he and Yoongi have to listen to Namjoon's excuses for three minutes, who swears that he has no idea how this happened and maybe these tables aren't big enough for three so it's hardly his fault.
It makes Yoongi feel a little warmth in his chest, but not enough to make him laugh like Taehyung does. Instead, he rolls his eyes and Namjoon looks beat up, which makes the younger laugh even harder.
They finish their drinks, then Kim Jr. stands up announcing that he is leaving.
“Jimin and Hobi hyung said I could watch them practice,” Taehyung explains, his eyes beaming excitedly. — I heard that this time it turned out really cool. Jimin will even be able to dance hip hop with Hoseok hyung, can you believe it?
Yoongi is just a little surprised. Jimin, like Hoseok, is into dancing, but while the older is into locking, popping, and street style, Jimin is a very passionate contemporary dancer.
At the same time, Jimin has a fantastic figure so Yoongi thinks he can handle it.
“Well,” Namjoon watches Taehyung leave the store. - And I'll go to Jackson. We have work to finish.
They're on their way because his and Seokjin's apartment is on the same side as Jackson's, so Yoongi gets up after Namjoon.
“It's been a while since you came to the studio,” Kim says as they walk down the icy sidewalk. “I asked Seokjin hyung and he said that you don’t even leave the house if you don’t have classes. Is everything okay, hyung?
“It’s okay,” Yoongi waves him off.
“However, you left your mixtape halfway through,” he says carefully, as if he knows he’s treading on thin ice.
- I didn't leave him, Namjoon-ah. Just took a break.
— What about photography?
- Break.
- Basketball?
Too cold for that.
Namjoon seems to agree with this.
— But why is the photo with music paused?
“That doesn’t mean I don’t do music at all.” Yoongi shrugs. - I mean that I'm doing it. Sometimes.
“But your mixtape, hyung,” Kim insists, and the elder sighs.
- You know I don't do things without enthusiasm, Namjoon. Especially for things like music and photography…you need inspiration.
— And now you don't have it? No nothing that inspires you?
“Nothing,” Yoongi confirms.
- I do not know why it is so. You just need to take your time at such moments, and it will pass. I will find something inspiring.
“Not if you stay in your room all day,” Namjoon points out.
Yoongi frowns:
— It's obvious how much you talked to Seokjin hyung. You become too much like him.
- He's just worried, hyung. Usually you are so passionate about what you like. It’s weird to see something like that,” Namjoon bites his lip thoughtfully. "I mean, you're cranky, constantly sleeping and all that, but I've never seen you leave the studio."
— Well, there's a first time for everything. And I did not leave - I just wait.
— Inspiration.
Yoongi nods.
— Exactly.
Namjoon sighs softly.
Seokjin hyung said it was because of the winter.
— You know that I hate the cold.
“But it's beautiful,” he points to the sparkling snow, ice that glistened on the sidewalk.
“I know.” Yoongi looks away.
“But I don't feel it.
Namjoon doesn't respond to his words. They eventually reach Yoongi's apartment and the younger raises his hand in farewell.
- See you on Saturday, right hyung? At the concert?
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there,” Yoongi reassures him, and Namjoon seems pleased with the answer as he turns and continues on his way to Jackson.
" But it's beautiful, " is Namjoon's voice in his head.
Yoongi once again looks at the scene unfolding in front of him, two months ago he would have called it absolutely breathtaking.
" I want to feel it, ," he thinks almost desperately. - " I want to feel inspired again. »
* * *
Yoongi had never seen Jimin dancing on stage before. After all, Jimin, like Taehyung, is a newcomer, and this is his first performance.
“He’s really good,” Taehyung says and Yoongi rolls his eyes.
- First of all, I know because I've seen him dance before.
Second, they haven't even started yet.
— But isn't it amazing that he and Hobie can do a duet? Just for ourselves.” Namjoon looks awfully proud, and Yoongi understands him.
As a rule, only for the fourth, sometimes even the third year of study, they provide a stage for solo performances. Hoseok is only in second, like Yoongi and Namjoon, and Jimin is even younger than that. They had to show really serious skills in the class to be selected for independent performance.
There are cheers and Yoongi looks up, watching Seokjin slip into the seat next to him.
“You're late, hyung,” Namjoon says accusingly, and Jin looks offended.
- Third year is much harder than yours, Kim Namjoon, and excuse me for choosing to arrive on time for rather than before .
“God, you’re a drama queen,” Yoongi says, and now not only does Seokjin look offended, but Taehyung does too.
— What's wrong with that? the younger asks demandingly.
“You would fail in any drama club, hyung, you are too dry.”
Yoongi narrows his eyes at him and Namjoon waves his hands.
- Don't fight guys...
- Watch your naughty hands Namjoon-ah, you might kill someone. Jin says kindly, and Namjoon hisses.
— Is that what it means to be polite hyung?
Before the elder can answer him, the lights go out. Silence grips the crowd as soon as the program begins.
Yoongi appreciates a good job but honestly he doesn't really care until Jimin and Hoseok show up.
The lights come on for a couple of moments and they both stand on the stage, and then darkness falls. Music fills the room—modern, Jimin-style—and Park appears on stage. His movements are neat, full of precision and grace as he twirls and twirls and so completely falls. The audience is delighted, Yoongi is not impressed.
The music ends and Jimin disappears. The applause is drowned out by the next tune. This dark, heavy one is definitely some kind of street style, because it sounds like something Hoseok would excel at.
And as if on command, Hoseok appears, and then he moves . It's too different from Jimin's dance. Hoseok's movements are not contemporary at all, but they are smooth and precise. Yoongi has seen Hoseok perform before, but clearly a huge improvement. This guy owns the stage, captures everyone's eye. There is no one in the audience whose attention has not been completely given to Jung Hoseok.
The music changes again, Jimin appears next to Hoseok, and they dance together some hip-hop choreography that even Yoongi admits is very cool. They work perfectly together, and their movements are completely synchronous. The styles are different, but they complement each other perfectly. Both are passionate , it makes you nervous. And Yoongi's heart starts to hurt a lot.
He doesn't want it to end, but of course it does. He barely notices the rest of the program, just waiting for it to end so he can congratulate his friends.
- Oh, Jiminy, you were amazing! Taehyung yells, lunging at Jimin the moment they come to watch.
“You too, hyung!” You were just cool - what was was - it's just deback !
“Really.” Seokjin shakes his head in amazement. - I'm so impressed. Ah, actually, I wish I could dance like that too.
“I’m really proud of you both,” Namjoon says, ruffling Jimin’s hair and slapping high fives on Hoseok.
- Thanks guys! Jimin beams, leaning on them. “Ah, it really went well, I’m so glad.
“And Jiminy did a great job,” Hoseok puts his arm around Jiminy’s shoulders. “He practiced a lot for this.
“It’s all thanks to you, hyung,” Jimin says gratefully, and Hoseok laughs.
“You two were really great,” Yoongi says. — I would say the best part of the evening.
“Wow, even if Yoongi hyung says that, then it must be true,” Jimin’s eyes beam with delight.
“Ah Jiminy, your parents and brother are here,” Seokjin adds. “I saw them, they were sitting with the rest of the families.
“It's so sweet that your parents trudged around here for two hours to watch you dance tonight,” Namjoon says.
“But it’s still not surprising,” Taehyung snorts. “I mean, they even made it all the way from Busan to Seoul so Jimin wouldn’t feel lonely in that city.
— Why didn't they move closer to the university then? We chose a place two hours away.
"They couldn't find a good enough high school for my brother," Jimin explains. “The best one was a couple of hours away, so they figured that this way I would be more independent, but close enough to see each other often.
— And there are also my parents who went on holiday to Switzerland. Taehyung draws, rolling his eyes and everyone laughs before heading back to the hall to meet Jimin’s parents.
Hours later, after the fancy dinner, back home, when Yoongi burrows under the covers, he wonders what was the most appealing part of the performance. Of course, both of his friends did amazing, but Yoongi didn't know anything about dancing. He had no idea if their movements were correct when they hit or anything like that.
All he knew was what was in their eyes.
They loved it so much : dancing, performances, lights, music, audience. They literally lived it.
Yoongi could see their eyes shining passionately as they danced, like they had nothing else to live for. As if the dance itself was the beginning and the end of everything, as if they want to never stop.
Yoongi knew the feeling. It's something that haunted him every time he worked on a new track, sitting in the recording studio for hours, rapping until his throat hurt and composing until the screen hurt his eyes.
It was always , and he used to always carry a camera with him because he was inspired by too many things. Because so many landscapes and events touched his heart.
I want to feel it again, , Yoongi thinks. — « Please. Let me feel it again »
* * *
“Let’s go for a walk, hyung,” Hoseok says sternly.
Yoongi pulls away from the TV, looking up at it:
— How the hell did you get into my apartment?
“Seokjin hyung gave me the keys,” the younger replies.
“Hyung, you haven’t been out for months , you know how it worries you?
“Not you for sure,” Yoongi groans. “Listen, I’m walking around campuses, and even around your apartment…
“Who knows, you might find some inspiration,” Hoseok says almost pleadingly. “Hyung, you know how worried we are about you. Just take a walk, okay? For us.
— And why should I?
Hoseok narrows his eyes and says
— Because if you don't, I'll tell Seokjin hyung who ate his kimchi supply. Don't think that I can't.
Yoongi instantly rises from the couch because an angry Seokjin - and especially a Seokjin angry over food - is actually the most terrifying thing in existence.
- It was our secret! Yoongi squeaks.
- It will be if you get your ass off the couch, leave the campus and go for a walk. It's not even cold, just a little chilly. Just put on a jacket, you don't even have to wear a scarf.
Yoongi frowns. The only thing stopping him from punching Hoseok in the face is that he doesn't want to die, especially at the hands of Seokjin.
The image of Seokjin threatening him with a meat knife adds fuel to the fire. Without much enthusiasm, he grabs his jacket, puts on his boots, and trudges outside, Hoseok following him.
— Real walk, okay hyung? Hoseok grumbles. “Go to the lake or the park or somewhere else.
- Shut up.
Hoseok just pats him on the shoulder and smiles brightly.
- You will feel better, trust me. I'll go find Seokjin, he'll be ecstatic. Where is he usually at this time?
Yoongi ignores him, slamming the door and leaving Hoseok alone to turn off the TV and lock the door.
They walk together until Yoongi turns one way and Yoongi turns the other because Seokjin is “probably in Namjoon’s room, which is also my room, which means he’s at my house.” .
And then Yoongi walks around.
He walks and walks and walks, off campus, through the busy streets of Seoul, past shops and malls. He walks around wearing a jacket, scarf, hat, and gloves, even though Hoseok was right when he said there was no need to wear anything else.
He doesn't stop at the park, which is crowded and too noisy, and at the river too, because it's crowded, he just walks forward, never going more than fifteen minutes from his apartment.
Somehow he ends up by the lake.
Maybe because there aren't many people there. Maybe because he seems very calm, which is what usually attracts Yoongi.
The water freezes over in the cold winter and Yoongi wants to be inspired to take pictures.
He sits briefly on the grass, at the edge of a frozen lake. He sits down and doesn't think about anything.
In the end, he has nothing to think about, so he closes his eyes and, ignoring the cool breeze, remains in that position until Seokjin calls and asks what to order for dinner.
“Whatever you want,” Yoongi replies.
— When are you coming back? the elder asks.
- After some time.
— Where are you?
Yoongi pauses, then says:
- Outside.
“Okay.” Jin doesn't ask any more questions.
- Come back for dinner. I'm ordering now, so it will arrive around eight.
Yoongi puts his phone away and sits there for another fifteen minutes, then twenty, then maybe another hour, who knows.
He doesn't get back in time for dinner, but when he gets home, a warm plate is waiting for him on the table.
The light in Seokjin's room is on and he's probably still working, so Yoongi decides he should thank Seokjin for dinner.
But when he opens the door, he sees that he is sleeping, sitting at a table littered with papers and huge books. Seokjin is too pale, with dark circles under his eyes, like he hasn't slept in days. Everyone teases him as a drama queen, but Yoongi knows it's hard, knows that Seokjin works harder than anyone else.
For a few moments, he thinks about getting all the paperwork and turning off the lights, but Seokjin doesn't appreciate having his work touched without permission, and Yoongi knows that when the older one falls down from work, he prefers to be left behind.
at rest.
Instead, Yoongi closes the door and returns to the kitchen, continuing to wash the dishes in the sink (because they are the same university students unable to fix the dishwasher), then he dries them and puts them on the shelf in the order Seokjin likes.
And the next morning, Gene will get up early to wash the dishes and find that everything has already been done and put away. He will smile and feel much better going back to bed for another hour of sleep before leaving for class.
And the same night when Yoongi gets home, he will offer to go with Hoseok, Jimin, Namjoon and Taehyung for lamb skewers and Yoongi will smile.
And on the way back, when they come back from the restaurant, Yoongi will tell the others to go without him.
He will go the other way, return to the lake and sit there for half an hour, just taking it all.
* * *
Holidays come and go. Jimin and his family leave for Busan to see their grandparents and meet up with old friends.
Taehyung and Yoongi are on the train to Daegu. Namjoon's family is out of town for the holidays because his little sister had to go somewhere to write an exam, so he went to Gwangju with Hoseok.
And then, of course, Seokjin. He and his family went to France, and the boys were very jealous of him.
“I don’t get it,” Yoongi grumbles. “They take you to France, but, of course, they can’t pay for the repair of the dishwasher?
“They're already paying half the rent, Yoongi,” Seokjin points out. “We don’t even share the full cost among ourselves—each pays half half , and my parents pay the rest.
Yoongi frowns but doesn't argue because he's right.
The elder smiles when he sees his expression.
- Come on, get up. Winter is finally over, today I saw a flower, so bright in appearance. Spring is really starting right now.
— Hey hyung, since winter is over, are you going back to the studio? Jimin asks. “You said it was because of the stupid weather preventing you from working on the mixtape, right? Well, it's almost over! The sun is already shining today.
“Aysh, baby, it’s not just the weather,” Yoongi chips. - This is due to the weather and lack of inspiration.
Jimin chuckles:
— So what now? Before that there was weather and lack of inspiration, and now just lack of inspiration?
— Basically.
— Hyung, it's weird forcing you to go into the studio and work on music. You never left this place.
“Then don’t make me,” Yoongi shrugs casually. “Everything has its time.
“Yes, but you haven’t done anything during this time,” Park argues. — Tae said that you spent to most of the holidays, sitting at my parents' house and playing with Holly. You didn't even go to the Christmas musicals with him.
- I don't like Christmas musicals, Jimin, and Taehyung knows it.
— But you returned to your hometown! Didn't you feel inspired there?
- Nope.
“Don't try,” Seokjin advises the younger. “That won't work.
“But,” ignoring Kim’s words, Jimin returns to Yoongi.
“But, hyung… Didn’t you miss him?”
- If you were bored, wouldn't you be in the studio right now? Yoongi says back, but Jimin insists.
- That's not what I'm talking about. I mean... Don't you miss feeling wanting to do something?
Yoongi's throat goes dry. Jimin doesn't look at all pleased with the triumph, instead he feels guilty and cringes when he sees the older's reaction.
Seokjin bites his lips.
— It's not that easy, Jimin-ah.
“I know.” Jimin feels a little ashamed of himself. “Sorry hyung, I went too far.
“It’s okay,” Yoongi tries to smile. “Anyway, you're right. Of course I miss this feeling, but it's not easy to get it back. Even a trip to my hometown couldn't get my wheels to spin.
“They can be broken,” Jimin says worriedly, and Seokjin laughs:
“I don’t think so, Jimin. Yoongi can handle it himself, can't he? The elder looks at him intently.
“Probably.” Yoongi shrugs.
The doorbell rings and Jimin checks his watch.
— It must be Tae, I told him that I would be here. We go to the cinema with Baekhyun and Johan.
As he leaves, Seokjin turns around, looking straight at Min.
“You might find inspiration if you really look for it, Yoongi.
- Things like inspiration are meant to find you when you're not looking for them.
- It won't work if you don't try.
Yoongi turns away.
- I'm trying.
— No, you're not trying, Yoongi. You returned to Daegu and all you did there was sit at your parents' house. Why didn't you even go somewhere? How is this different from what you're doing here?
- I don't know. Atmosphere?
— And didn't the atmosphere of inspire you in any way? Seokjin demanded. - And I'm not just talking about music and photography... I'm talking about your attitude towards this. "Atmosphere" doesn't inspire you, so why not at least try ?
- Try to do what is ? Yoongi hisses.
