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Chapter 202: Joy (39)

“Alright, time to come out."

“Is that it? I could go another round," I asked as I removed my headphone, only to be met with his frown and a silent gesture to exit the booth.

A small comment on any final adjustments or additional takes would have been appreciated. Yet, he remained as brusque as ever.

I stepped out of the booth and quickly collected my bag and phone. “Thanks for today. Really appreciate the help. I will see you next time."

"Hey."

“What.”

A silent standoff ensued, and our gazes locked without any clear reason. A few seconds later, Kim Jin-Wook nudged a nearby chair with his foot. The chair rolled slightly and positioned itself conveniently behind the desk.

“What is it? Aren’t you asking me to leave?" I asked.

“Before you go, hear me out on something from our last conversation."

“Did you forget to tell me something?" I drew the chair closer with a foot, settling into it.

“If you are not interested, feel free to leave."

“Oh, you are going to show me how to use that program, aren\'t you? Why would I object to that, hyung?"

I responded with a smile, only to see Kim Jin-Wook\'s expression sour once more as he reached for the mouse. He started to elaborate on the program\'s functionalities and shared some composition tips. He went into greater detail than the brief overview in the waiting room. Despite his apparent distaste each time we met, he showed a surprising degree of patience and kindness as long as I didn\'t retaliate too much.

Our discussion extended for an hour, only concluding when I received a message from Joo-Han which indicated it was time to head back.

“I gotta go. Talk to you later."

“Sure, off you go."

Kim Jin-Wook dismissively waved his hand and didn’t bother to look up. As I turned to leave, a thought made me pause and glance back.

“By the way, hyung."

“What is it?"

“I was wondering if you\'ve heard anything about On-Sae."

It might have been quicker to ask Ji-Hyuk from High Tension. However, considering that I had met Kim Jin-Wook, I seized the opportunity to ask.

The group\'s once-active chats had quietened due to the flurry of activities surrounding our comeback, and I was hoping to hear any significant developments from the members. On-Sae\'s conspicuous absence was concerning, especially given his prominence within Team D and his role as one of my mentees.

However, Kim Jin-Wook\'s response was as expected. He asked, “How would I know anything about someone from a different company?"

“Thought as much. Alright, then."

I exited the studio with a shrug; perhaps I would ask On-Sae directly later.

As I left the YU building, the chill of the outside air hit me. It had been some time since I navigated the public area without my manager. Despite trying to stay incognito with a mask and hat, passersby definitely recognized me. Some photographed me, discreetly or otherwise, but I simply pulled my hat down further and hailed a taxi without any fuss.

I read through the completed lyrics again to review the day’s work and then snapped a photo to share with Joo-Han. After that, I mentally arranged my schedule for the following day.

‘Joo-Han has been preoccupied at the office lately.’

Given his extended sessions with Producer Do, Joo-Han\'s personal studio might be available for me to use tomorrow.

***

- On-Sae, got any plans? How about a meal with me?

Amidst my busy schedule, worrying about someone else’s problem seemed unnecessary. However, things were different when it came to On-Sae.

Despite the numerous changes I had made in this life, they were primarily centered around me, so I had assumed On-Sae\'s path would remain unaffected by my actions. However, according to Ji-Hyuk, On-Sae hadn\'t even broached the topic of transferring to YU. He apparently never mentioned moving companies at all.

\'What\'s happening?\'

Had my actions inadvertently impacted On-Sae\'s life? For now, awaiting his response was all I could do.

“You are overthinking it, hyung."

“Pardon?"

I turned and saw Jin-Sung. While engrossed in taking selfies, he asked, “Are you worried we won\'t hit the top spot? You and Joo-Han hyung should stop being obsessed with the first place.”

“What\'s that supposed to mean? I haven\'t been fretting over anything like that."

“Is getting first place truly what matters? The real importance lies in the quality of the song, don\'t you think?"

Joo-Han was in the midst of getting his makeup done, but hearing this, he shot Jin-Sung a sharp look. “Wow, Jin-Sung. You are getting a bit too big for your boots. In Chronos, it\'s about pouring our hearts and souls into everything while aiming for the top. It\'s not an obsession, it\'s just—"

“That sounds like greed to me," Goh Yoo-Joon chimed in with a teasing grin and got a playful slap on the back from Joo-Han.

I set my phone aside, contemplating. Indeed, I shouldn’t be distracted by someone else’s issues right now.

We were in the waiting room to gear up for the live Music Case

broadcast. The slightly extended interval between our song\'s release and its debut broadcast allowed us to be in the running for first place right off the bat.

Each day served as a reminder of Chronos\'s popularity. Since it was our comeback stage, we had wrapped up the pre-recorded segment of Music Case and were now awaiting the announcement of this week’s winner.

“What should our first-place pledge be?" Joo-Han tossed the question to the group before quickly suggesting, “How about we all wear headbands?"

“Huh? Headbands?"

“It seems like the Rings\' compliments have really emboldened you. You\'ve become quite daring since being dubbed \'fan-savvy.\'" Despite his grumbling, Goh Yoo-Joon didn\'t protest. Instead, he wandered off to consult the stylist about the different headband options.

Figuring out a first-place pledge turned out to be a more daunting task than anticipated, but we reached a consensus thanks to everyone lowering their standards a bit.

“I\'m fine with anything as long as it\'s not cat ears. Let\'s pick headbands like the ones the stylists are wearing." I voiced my agreement with Joo-Han\'s proposal and mentally claimed one of the stylist\'s headbands for myself.

Then came a knock on the door, and a staff member popped their head in. “Chronos, are you all set for the first-place candidate interview?"

“Ready!"

We soon found ourselves joined by the production crew, the host, and the other artists, all congregating in a different lounge.

***

Being slated last because we were contenders for the top spot was flattering and appreciated, but presenting our stage in front of the entire ensemble of performers was somewhat daunting. This was particularly true for our new track\'s performance, which was laden with playful antics and soulful moments.

Leaves!!!♪

Jin-Sung\'s robust ad-lib set off a wave of laughter across the board from the performers to the audience. We also couldn\'t help but laugh although sheepishly.

As the comeback stage recording wrapped up and a brief hush fell over the venue, the background music kicked in and the lights brightened once more.

“We will announce the winner of Music Case for the last week of January!”

The anxious expressions of Chronos filled the screen alongside the other nominees. Shortly thereafter, fireworks erupted with the revelation of the final scores.

“Chronos with ‘Joy’ takes first place! Congratulations!"

Upon the host\'s declaration, the senior artists who were also in the running coolly clapped and nodded. They seemed to have anticipated the outcome.

At that moment, we became the center of attention amidst a sea of performers. The chorus of fan cheers, the myriad voices extending their congratulations, and the glitter cascading down brought an overwhelmingly joyous and surreal feeling for us.

“Thank you so much!"

“Congratulations once again to Chronos. Please accept the trophy and bouquet. May we hear your thoughts on this win?"

Goh Yoo-Joon was just beside the host, and he accepted the trophy and bouquet. Then, he passed the trophy to Joo-Han and the bouquet to me.

“It\'s only right that the creators of the song hold these," said Goh Yoo-Joon. He then prompted me forward with a nudge and signaled that it was time for me to share our sentiments.

I nodded and took hold of the microphone. “Uh, yes. I\'ve been really worried all the time, thinking that we need to deliver better songs to all of you. Receiving so much love and support from you all has made me incredibly happy."

After finishing my speech, I glanced at Joo-Han who signaled for me to extend my talk. I then picked up the microphone again while looking out at our fans in the audience. “Rings! Thank you so much! We will continue to work hard and show you the best of us. Actually, we have our first fan-signing event today, and I\'m thrilled that we can share the joy of being number one with all of you. Thank you so much!"

“Yes! Congratulations to Chronos again. We will see you next week at Music Case, the heart of K-pop. Goodbye!"

As "Joy" started to play in the background, the host and performers gradually exited the stage, and we turned to bow to our seniors before facing our fans again.

Jin-Sung hurried backstage and returned with a bunch of headbands, distributing one to each of us. Joo-Han, Goh Yoo-Joon, and I carefully placed the headbands on our heads to avoid ruining our hair, while Yoon-Chan and Jin-Sung pushed theirs up like they were washing their faces, lifting their bangs completely. Seeing this scene, Goh Yoo-Joon laughed heartily and did the same to Joo-Han and me.

“Joy" was always full of improvisations. Unlike the rehearsals, where we increasingly turned it into a haven of ad-libs similar to our times with Cha Cha, we had managed to deliver a relatively standard performance during the main stage.

However, it seemed like no one planned to hold back during the encore, especially now that our hair was already messed up by the headbands.

We indulged in the stage with the audience, incorporating various ad-libs and the unique chants we\'d polished during rehearsals. We made the most of the chaotic encore even without the AR[1] effects. Su-Hwan even mentioned changing his phone\'s wallpaper to a photo of us on stage during the encore because of how epic it was.

***

[Hyung, treat me to a meal sometime. I\'ve got some things to ask... When are you free? -Yoo On-Sae]

I wanted to reply to On-Sae\'s message when Jin-Sung started making a fuss. “What if my hands get sweaty during the handshake?"

“Indeed, since we will be so close... it\'s a bit worrying," said Yoon-Chan.

Yoon-Chan and Jin-Sung tried to ease their nerves while talking to our manager. After all, it was our first fan-signing event. Having one-on-one conversations and signing autographs for our fans at such close quarters was a new experience for all of us, so it was no wonder that even Joo-Han and Goh Yoo-Joon were feeling the pressure. Truth be told, so was I.

No, I was actually…

“Hey, hyung, what\'s wrong? Feeling carsick?"

“Just tired."

“You can\'t fall asleep until the fan-signing event is over."

I nodded at Su-Hwan’s words and looked outside again. The scene of the upcoming fan-signing event vividly played out in my mind. Strangely, I broke out in a cold sweat just by sitting there and imagining it. It was a peculiar mix of excitement and apprehension as if I were getting motion sickness. As I cracked the window open slightly, I unconsciously relaxed my clenched fist.

“..."

\'I wanted to be loved on stage.\'

My darned trauma seemed to cling to my ankles, trying to hold me back.

‘It\'s okay.\'

The situation was probably better than I had imagined.

“We\'ve arrived."

When the car came to a stop, we started to get out one by one.

1. Augmented Reality enhances the traditional listening experience and allows artists to create unique and interactive performances. ☜