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Chapter 93: Debut (16)

“Should we release this already? It’s not the card we should pull out for this. We can talk about including this in the next album...”

Joo-Han shook his head after hearing Park Yoon-Chan and Goh Yoo-Joon’s words. “My conscience just can’t stomach the idea of putting this in an album.”

Usually, he was all about the gains, but here he was, playing the conscience card. “We should prepare something even more spectacular for the album. I\'ve been toying with the idea of crafting a track for our official debut album.”

This made me wonder how much more impressive he could get. This song was not merely passable for a first try; it was a genuine masterpiece.

I knew that had it not been up to Joo-Han\'s high standards, he wouldn’t have even mentioned the song. As I hummed it with a sprinkle of my personal touch, it transformed into a medium-tempo tune that ensnared me right from the get-go. It was the epitome of a modern hip-hop beat, radiating a refreshing vibe that was perfect for some light dancing or simply vibing to the rhythm.

If we released it, the younger generation in their twenties would definitely dig it.

“Hyung, cut the modesty and just release it. The fans are going to eat it up.”

“Exactly. I can’t stop wanting to hear it. Let’s play it for Producer Do and see what he thinks.”

“...Maybe that’s the way to go.”

We all threw ourselves into persuading Joo-Han. Caving under our relentless badgering, Joo-Han finally gave in with a nod, and we mapped out the live performance based on his crafted setlist.

“So, that\'s the scoop on the original songs from me and then there\'s ‘Woof Woof Meow Meow,’ ‘Need,’ ‘Goblin,’ and Street Center’s ‘One.’ Let\'s snag extra help from the manager and nail this rehearsal.”

“Yes!” Just like that, we wrapped up our discussion. But I just had to raise my hand.

“Hyun-Woo, what’s up?”

“Hyung, mind if I take a crack at choreographing the dance for the original song?”

“...For real? You, choreographing?” Joo-Han was visibly taken aback, and it wasn’t just him. The other members seemed equally surprised.

“I’ve dabbled a bit on my own, nothing official.” I had experimented a couple of times back in my trainer days.

“It’s out of left field for Suh Hyun-Woo to say this, but I’m intrigued.”

Goh Yoo-Joon’s remark got Lee Jin-Sung nodding vigorously. Jin-Sung then exclaimed, “Right? Remember how it was when we covered that dance together? Joo-Han hyung\'s original has got your name all over it, Hyun-Woo hyung! It was really your style.”

“Exactly.”

“You’ve got a knack for this kind of groove. I bet your original choreo is going to be a hit.”

“Give it a shot, and if it’s not a fit, we\'ll scrap it. I’ll give it a whirl at least.”

“Brilliant! It’s Chronos’s first self-made song, so the more hands on deck, the better.”

The meeting about the live broadcast drew to a close with me being tasked with the choreography for Joo-Han’s original song.

***

“Suh Hyun-Woo, you\'re not out like a light yet, right?” Lounging in bed while watching others’ choreographies on UTube, I felt Goh Yoo-Joon’s foot pressing down on my thigh. He had a towel slung over his shoulder.

“Ah, what’s up? I was just about to crash.”

“Hold on a sec, I got something to show you before you doze off.”

What now? I was about to brush it off as a prank, but then I propped myself up after seeing Goh Yoo-Joon fishing out a notebook from the drawer. Oh right, he mentioned dabbling with lyrics in the practice room earlier.

“These are your lyrics?”

“Yeah. Just skim through them and let me know what you think. I wrote them just for kicks, really.”

After he handed over the notebook, his face blushed with embarrassment. Meanwhile, I powered down my phone and dove into the lyrics.

He had a blast writing rap at Joo-Han’s request before, and it seemed like he had been seriously boning up on lyricism.

“Had no clue you were into lyric writing.”

“More of a hobby than a passion, really. During Pick We Up, Jin-Sung was choreographing, and you were the center, so I figured I should pitch in too.” Goh Yoo-Joon got chatty when he was sheepish, so I chose to focus on the lyrics instead of ribbing him.

I was no expert in lyric writing, but it looked like he got some solid advice from someone, sticking to the rules pretty neatly. The lyrics had a cohesive thread and were approachable, not too steeped in emotion, and true to Goh Yoo-Joon’s flair, the content surpassed my expectations.

“This is brilliant. It’s beyond my expectations. Who taught you how to write lyrics?”

“I got feedback from Producer Do. He taught me how to write properly.”

No wonder. The lyrics were remarkably well-structured for his first attempt. I marveled and reread the lyrics from the beginning. As I read, I hummed Joo-Han’s original song without realizing it.

The party’s still going on

The party’s still going on?

“...Hmm?”

“...Uh? ...Suh Hyun-Woo, can you keep humming that?”

“Yeah.”

Raise your glasses

You and I, swept up in the moonlit summer night?

“...”

“...Dang, how come the lyrics line up with the beat so spot on?” We both felt a chill run down our spines simultaneously. It was just a coincidence that my humming synced up flawlessly with Joo-Han\'s song.

“Hey, doesn’t the vibe of the lyrics seem to match the song?”

“Could be, right?”

Our eyes met.

One, two, three. Then, in unison, we both stood up.

“We should talk this out.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

It wasn’t that late yet, but we cautiously knocked on Joo-Han’s door.

“Come in.”

“Hyung!”

Joo-Han was previously lying on his bed, but he slowly rose to a seated position, eyeing us curiously.

“Ah, are you heading to bed?”

“No, I am not. Just sending a message to Woo-Jeong hyung about doing a Street Center cover for the live show. What brings you here?”

“Well, umm...” Goh Yoo-Joon shot me a quick glance and, with a hint of unease, extended the notebook to Joo-Han. Joo-Han just took the notebook, scanned it briefly, and then looked up at Goh Yoo-Joon, looking puzzled.

“I\'ve been dabbling in lyric writing. I think the latest ones turned out pretty decent. If you\'re looking for lyrics, maybe give these a thought...”

“You wrote this?”

“Yeah...”

Joo-Han shifted his focus back to the notebook and started to hum, mirroring the melody I had previously sung.

The party’s still going on

The party’s still going on?

Just like me earlier, Joo-Han sensed the perfect sync between the rhythm and lyrics and started reading the lyrics intently. “Setting aside whether we use them or not, Yoo-Joon, this is some solid writing.”

“...Actually, Producer Do gave me a hand.”

Joo-Han read through to the end, smiled warmly, and nodded in approval. “Both of you, come to the company studio tomorrow. We’ll do a guided recording with these lyrics.”

“...You mean it?”

“You\'ve really nailed these lyrics.”

Goh Yoo-Joon’s face lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. Joo-Han\'s unnamed original song was on its way to becoming Chronos\'s first collaborative project.

***

We were on our way to the final shoot of Chronos History. I was tolerating the members’ snickers as I watched a video on my phone.

— Anyway, Hyun-Woo. If you are seeing this, please give it another thought!

— No way! How come the national MC like you is on your knees to cast a boy?

— It has to be Hyun-Woo, or the viewers just won’t buy it. Hyun-Woo!

— Hyun-Woo or any other Chronos member is fine. We are not picky!

— We swear we won’t force you to join us for a meal, so just reconsider!

At the age of twenty-four—though I was in the body of the nineteen-year-old me—I realized that nothing stayed hidden forever, all thanks to Flying Man.

My UTube’s main page featured a clip from Flying Man titled “A Message for Chronos’s Suh Hyun-Woo.” Driven by curiosity, I clicked on it. The video was about my decision to turn down the show to focus on the group, followed by a direct appeal for me to reconsider.

While it wasn\'t a serious matter and just a skit utilizing the fact that I had declined the offer, it somehow created an association between me and Flying Man.

“You are in a good spot, Hyun-Woo. Even if it’s not a regular spot, I bet they will soon contact you again to invite you as a guest,” our manager said.

Passing my phone to Goh Yoo-Joo, who was chucking, I frowned. “How am I supposed to show my face there? It’s gonna be awkward.”

This provided good exposure for Chronos and me, but the video of me declining Goh Seong-Cheol’s number was probably going to be used as a joke for at least a month.

“That aside, I have sent the setlist to UNET, and the schedule is still being coordinated. It’s likely to be set around the end of ‘Parade,’ so just be aware of that.”

“If we are doing this after the last performance on ‘Parade,’ wouldn’t it be better to switch up the setlist with a next comeback song instead? We can delay the date of the live broadcast, right?” Joo-Han proposed.

He had a point. Delaying the date of the live broadcast to coincide with the end of our debut performance and introducing a new song during the broadcast could be a strategic move.

The manager nodded in agreement. “Supervisor Kim is on the same page and is still in discussions with UNET. We have to take the UNET schedule into account, and honestly, we\'ve put a lot of effort into promoting ‘Parade.’”

“Well, Supervisor Kim is good at this. He’s bound to make the right call.”

“Exactly. So, you guys, just focus on enjoying your getaway.”

Finally, our car pulled to a stop after three hours of driving.

“The bathroom, I need the bathroom! I thought I was going to explode!” Lee Jin-Sung hurriedly flung open the car door and bolted into the accommodation.

I got out of the car and took in the surroundings. This place was nestled even deeper in the countryside, more like at the foot of a mountain, unlike where we had stayed for the unit competition.

In front of the place was a creek suitable for water activities, and a big dog was wagging its tail, greeting us. The place felt blissfully removed from the everyday hustle, a serene setting offering relaxation and peace.

The camera was already rolling, capturing the members as they explored inside the place.

- Have you been doing well all this time?

“Yes, I\'ve been great. I love the vibe here."

- Glad to hear that. You seem to have slimmed down a bit.

"Oh, really? I\'ve been eating well though. Maybe it\'s the increased activities." I responded to the cameraman\'s question and made my way to the director.

As all the members gathered in front of the building, the main camera flickered on, signaling the start of the official shoot.

- Chronos members, it’s been a while.

“It has indeed. How\'s everyone been doing?"

- Absolutely great. Congratulations once more on your debut.

Director Lee Won-Jae’s congratulatory words were met with a round of applause from the crew.

“Thank you so much!"

- Today marks exactly one month since Chronos\'s debut. In light of your non-stop schedule over the past month, or rather, the past half-year since Pick We Up, we\'ve arranged some time for you to unwind and recharge.

With about two weeks left until the end of our debut schedule, it was quite a busy time. Groups that debuted alongside us from Pick We Up, especially those under major labels, had already started targeting international markets.

Being a mid-tier group with limited domestic marketing funds, Chronos had yet to secure the top spot on overseas album sales charts, despite winning Pick We Up and enjoying the backing of UNET. Under this pressure and with our relentless schedule, we were experiencing both physical and mental fatigue.

Director Lee Won-Jae spoke with a reassuring smile.

- Your final mission for Chronos History is to enjoy and rejuvenate during this retreat thoroughly.