Chapter 139: End-of-Year Stage (9)

After Yeong-Yee appeared on

Halo's Music Bus

, the show experienced an extraordinary surge in popularity. Given that the average viewership for

Halo's Music Bus

usually hovered below one percent, Yeong-Yee's episode which had a 2.1 percent rating was a phenomenal success. Its impact then amplified as clips from the episode spread like wildfire across

UTube

and various portal sites.

Among the clips, the ones capturing everyone's heart were undoubtedly the Tenten hit song medley—a nostalgic throwback. This performance was even more memorable with the participation of Chronos.

However, Yeong-Yee's influence was even more significant than anticipated. Suddenly, the classic hits of the 80s and 90s era were back in the limelight, becoming a trend once again. Even teens and those in their twenties found themselves humming these old tunes. Yeong-Yee's star power, combined with the buzz around Chronos, created the perfect storm for a nostalgia revival.

Having been the guests of the show, Suh Hyun-Woo and Goh Yoo-Joon also saw a spike in popularity.

Hyun-Woo I Miss You @dldim · 2 hours ago

(Hyun-Woo and Yoo-Joon adorably acting silly while dancing.gif)

This is just insane. I'd love for Chronos to occasionally belt out such quirky tunes.

Replies 0 RT 220 Likes 422

?し? @buuluu · 1 hour ago

(Suh Hyun-Woo dancing with shoulder moves.gif)

So this is Suh Hyun-Woo? Now, I get why he is so adored... When he appeared with his hair tousled and flashed that irresistibly fresh smile, my heart skipped a beat. I immediately started searching for him on the internet. Please accept my love, handsome <3

Replies 4 RT 73 Likes 134

Price Meet Hyun-Woo @akdw · 3 hours ago

The guest members from Tenten are Chronos's second and third oldest members. The good-looking one in the cute hat is Suh Hyun-Woo, and the muscle-showing, tank-top-wearing member with a deep voice is Goh Yoo-Joon. Everyone, get in line for your new crushes!

Replies 0 RT 644 Likes 742

Annu @begopa · 3 hours ago

Just saw a former Tenten member on my favorite show. I mean, why didn't anyone tell me these Chronos guys were this adorable? Weren't they pushing a mysterious, dark concept? Totally caught off guard, now I'm binge-watching their clips... especially digging this Suh Hyun-Woo guy.

Replies 8 RT 294 Likes 666

└Rings @ggggorrrri · 30 minutes ago

Reply to @begopa

Hello! Sorry for butting in! So grateful that you like Chronos! Suh Hyun-Woo is Chronos's third youngest member, the main vocalist, and center. He's a fantastic dancer too! Their group is the total package. They had everything: mysterious dark concepts, killer entertainment skills, and mind-blowing talent. Thanks a ton! Here's to promoting our Hyun-Woo!!! (A scene from ‘Parade’ music video.gif)

Replies 0 RT 0 Likes 38

Chronos Storage @cno_gallery

(Yoo-Joon kissing Yeong-Yee's hand, Hyun-Woo beaming at the camera.gif)

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

They are just too cute. What have they done to me...? My head is spinning omg! Can we see more of this concept... please? Pretty please?

Replies 0 RT 782 Likes 829

Muggle Here @dmdkd · 2 hours ago

Folks, I'm not usually into idols, but I need to know this guy's name.

(Close-up of Suh Hyun-Woo making eye contact during the second medley ending.jpg)

Replies 12 RT 107 Likes 213

Not only teenagers and young adults reacted to their performance. Even parents from the 80s and 90s who had watched the show started asking their kids about these guys. They even praised Chronos for their spot-on Tenten tribute.

Halo's Music Bus

proved to be a win-win for both Chronos and Yeong-Yee. Following the success, Yeong-Yee's engagements skyrocketed, and South Korea was deeply immersed in the music of the 80-90s.

***

“Practice is over! Great work, everyone."

“Thank you all for your hard work!"

Finally, our preparations for the KEW stage came to a close. Well, to be precise, Chronos still had some unfinished business, but the major part was done.

“Everyone did an amazing job!"

Over the week, the bond among the members grew as we supported each other—

ehm

, bonding over sprawling on the practice room floor. Even the previously tense seniors seemed to have relaxed a bit toward us.

“Let's head out for some food.”

“Okay. Come on, everyone up! Hyun-Woo, you too."

“Yep." I gathered my energy and pushed myself up. Gosh, I was exhausted, and all I wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep.

Though our intense practice session had wrapped up, our day wasn't quite over yet. KEW had thoughtfully organized a dinner for us to unwind after the last practice, but it was more of a chance to gather some fun footage for the show than an actual stress reliever.

As the youngest, I was probably going to end up quietly focusing on my food, not quite daring to jump into the seniors' conversations.

“Is it a barbecue place? Will there be drinks?"

“Yes, it's a barbecue spot. We didn't plan for alcohol since you all have practice later on, but we can arrange it if you'd like."

“Come on, we are not kids! Of course, we need drinks."

“We are up for some tipsy practice tonight."

Hearing about the dinner party, the two most senior members from the first and second part spoke up. The idea of drinking was off-limits for us minors. However, I wasn't too taken aback since I had seen seniors participate in drinking scenes on shows before. It was a bit surprising though.

The production team agreed enthusiastically, and the managers seemed fine with it. The only concern was for us minors, specifically Jin-Sung and me. Manager Su-Hwan also reminded us not to get too swept up in the lively atmosphere.

“We will keep it professional," we assured.

“I'm not worried about Hyun-Woo. After all, Jin-Sung is the wild one."

“Why me!? I will just stick by Hyun-Woo hyung’s side and focus on the meat."

I quickly sidestepped Jin-Sung's clinginess and said, “No way. If you are next to me, I will end up being the designated grill master all night."

“Then where should I sit, if not next to you?"

“Why not join the High Tension crowd? You always said you wanted to be one of them."

“Are you still on about that?" Jin-Sung left with a pout, joining the Allure hyungs.

Soon, we all hopped into our respective cars and headed to the dinner venue. The restaurant seemed to be entirely reserved for us, creating a peaceful and private environment. As we settled into our seats, the chatter and laughter started to fill the air.

***

The dinner stretched on longer than expected. Unaccustomed to such impromptu schedules, our manager bit his lip worriedly before stepping out to make a phone call. Now, the air was filled with the scent of alcohol. Thankfully, everyone was careful and only drank modestly, considering we were still on camera, but the mood had

definitely

become more buoyant.

“Hyun-Woo, join us for a drink!"

“Oh, senior, I'm still underage."

“...Right, you can't. Hyun-Woo, here, have a soda!" Jeon-Hwa swapped his soju bottle for a soda, offering it to me. Seeing this, I gulped my half-full soda cup and received the new pour with two hands.

Ah, to be surrounded by soju but drinking soda instead! It was a slightly bittersweet moment.

“Hyun-Woo, you know how much your hyung cares for you, right?"

“Yes? Yes, of course. Thanks for looking out for me, senior."

“Yoo Jeon-Hwa's at it again. We can't let him drink even a sip as he turns into a sticky mess."

Another member from Jeon-Hwa’s group teased him, eliciting chuckles from the others.

“Hey, Yoo Jeon-Hwa, leave the junior alone and back off."

Hearing this, Jeon-Hwa stepped away from me. Other seniors, including Dong-Woo, came over and generously piled salad and meat onto my plate. The typically reserved Min-Seong even asked for a selfie with me. Hmm, indeed, alcohol seemed to be amplifying everyone's affections.

Moreover, not only the idols from the first part were becoming more clingy.

“Hyun-Woo, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

“Eh? Senior?" Da-Win and Sae-Yeon approached me, their faces flushed red with warmth.

I got trapped between Da-Win on my right and Sae-Yeon on my left, and I felt like I was in an Allure jail. They both smelled like alcohol, so it seemed that they had indulged a bit more than us juniors.

“Ah, we can't let this fun vibe go to waste."

“No, senior. Maybe you should stop drinking. Don’t you have practice later?" I asked as I handed my soda to Da-Win. He then took a big gulp and shook his head.

“Oh, we are all done for today. Allure doesn't practice right before a show. It's bad luck, you know. What if someone gets hurt during practice?"

Now that I thought about it, I remembered seeing an interview where Allure mentioned a superstition about getting injured if they practiced right before a performance.

“Hyun-Woo! Look over here. Say hello.”

“Huh?”

‘

What is Sae-Yeon hyung up to?’

Sae-Yeon suddenly appeared with his phone, filming a video. He focused the camera on me, so I quickly greeted the camera and poured some cider into my cup to hand to Sae-Yeon.

I said, “Have some cider too, Senior."

“Huh? Ah! What's with this 'senior' thing? Call me 'hyung' like you usually do!"

...Hmm, did I upset him by calling him “senior?” It seemed like no one was drinking excessively, just enough to get into a lively mood.

“That's right. Do you know that the fans all know you call us 'hyung' behind the scenes? They want to see you call us like that," Da-Win commented.

I laughed awkwardly. “The fans?"

“Yes, so make sure it's visible on camera." Sae-Yeon moved the camera closer. “Show the fans. Come on. Call me 'hyung' instead of 'senior’ with cuteness. Then, say it to Da-Win."

‘With cuteness?’

I called them 'hyung' every day, so it was not hard. “Um..."

However, it was different when the camera was rolling and they forced me to do it. It was just a simple “hyung,” but it felt like a challenge had suddenly presented itself.