Before music, Sanghoon can't really say he's led an interesting life.

Born as the second son in a family of esteemed medical professionals, it was set in stone that Sanghoon would take after his mother and father's footsteps to become a doctor. His parents took extra care in making sure the young boy excelled in math and science, instilling it into his brain that he was to save people's lives in the future, unlike his failure of an older brother. To Sanghoon's parents, Jeonghoon was their failed attempt at a child, a lazy, good-for-nothing son with no motivation or drive — and by no means was Sanghoon ever, ever going to end up like that.

They made sure to raise a perfect, responsible son, with stellar grades, a charming, polite attitude, and a respectful demeanor to anyone and everyone he encountered. To his family, to his classmates, to his friends — Sanghoon was perfect.

But to Sanghoon himself... he was empty.

The expectations of others drove him away from the people he would offer such friendly smiles to, and more often than not, Sanghoon would lock himself in his room, busying himself by studying and studying and studying. He hated every single minute of it, but the minute he stopped cramming his brain with information, images of his disappointed parents would haunt him. And so, he became a child that would only ever smile to please others, hardly ever engaging in true friendship with the other children.

That is, until he met Seo Eunsang.

Well, he didn't exactly meet him, per se — it was more like he watched this boy play the guitar so beautifully at a school talent show, and he couldn't keep his eyes off of him. Naturally, Sanghoon couldn't help himself from asking the boy some questions about his music, and when Eunsang answered them, he grew a quick interest in music.

His parents were hesitant about buying the young boy a guitar, but Sanghoon made sure to keep his grades up as a promise. And so, for the first time in what seemed like a long time, Sanghoon was excited for something, his shoes clacking against the tiles of the hallway as he made his way to learn the guitar from his Eunsang hyung.

It was a friendship unlike any other — but eventually, time passed. Soon, Eunsang was to graduate and leave for college. The moment he did, Sanghoon spiraled back into his old ways, overworking himself to the bone. He isolated himself from his friends and family, determined to get into a good college to please his parents. Eunsang remained at the back of his mind, but he seemed too far away — the carefree days spent with him only seemed like a dream. So when Sanghoon was accepted into a prestigious college for a degree in Public Health, he shoved aside all thoughts of Eunsang and music to the side, focusing on making his parents proud.

At least, until Eunsang appeared from seemingly nowhere, asking about a desire of his that he'd forgotten long ago — forming a band.

It was supposed to be a temporary gig, but Sanghoon found himself enjoying it so much that he put down his books and attended practice whenever it was called. He met people that he would call his lifelong friends — Sungjoo, Hayan, Eunsang (of course), and Yeonwol — oh, Yeonwol. Their popularity quickly grew, and with it, his feelings for Yeonwol — but he didn't let them get in the way of his love for music, and for the band. He asked Yeonwol to teach him composition, and with his tendency to read and write poetry, Sanghoon quickly found a knack for writing lyrics. He found peace in performing with his friends, and although he knew at the back of his mind that this wouldn't last, he learned to live in the moment, enjoying every single note he played on his bass, every strum of the heavy strings.

But then they got an offer they couldn't refuse — sign with a reputable music label. His friends agreed rather easily, and Sanghoon had his apprehensions — but out of love for music and for his friends, he agreed, keeping his side gig a secret from his parents.

He couldn't keep it a secret forever, though. His parents soon found out, informed by his brother, and the disappointment he'd been so afraid of receiving finally showed on their faces. They called his passion a waste of time, and that was when he blew up — Sanghoon turned around and packed as little as possible, leaving that house for good. He stayed with his friends, hopping from couch to couch until finally, they grew in popularity, soon receiving an offer to promote in America.

Well, of course, Sanghoon would say yes. He could leave his life behind, start anew, and become someone that lived for himself. And that is exactly what he did — after Yeonwol (surprisingly) accepted his feelings, Sanghoon and his friends went on to promote as Ozone Layer, charming the hearts of fans everywhere they went.

But, as it seems, good things don't last forever.