Chapter 141: End-of-Year Stage (11)

“Thank you for your hard work. Please stay on stage for now," said the stage director just as our first rehearsal stage wrapped up. He sounded utterly drained.

“Huff... Huff..." I stood there with my hands on my knees, lowering my head and gasping for breath. It was only the first rehearsal, but the sheer size of the stage and the need for rapid transitions had me winded in no time.

“Shall we proceed with the next rehearsal?"

Prompted by the staff's question, I straightened up my back and raised my hand. “Sorry, could you please turn up the vocals a bit?"

“Yeah, for sure.”

While the stage was being reset, the behind-the-scenes camera, which had been filming from the back, moved up to start filming us.

“Please don’t film us while we are resting, noona. It’s embarrassing," Jin-Sung protested as he was lounging on the floor. Then, he came over to me and started to dance.

“...Jin-Sung is always so entertaining."

He really hated showing any signs of weariness. It seemed he had come over to practice with me, but I wanted to save as much energy as possible. Therefore, I just contently watched him.

Suddenly, Jin-Sung stopped dancing, started swaying his hips, and playfully hit me with his arms. “Come on, hyung, let's practice."

“You are very enthusiastic, Jin-Sung. That’s good. But remember, we need to conserve our energy for the actual performance."

Jin-Sung flinched at my words and resumed practicing, this time with slightly less vigor.

“I know, I won’t overdo it."

Thankfully, or maybe unfortunately, Jin-Sung had been more mindful about overexerting himself ever since his leg injury, so he heeded my advice.

“Wow, it's so high up here!" Goh Yoo-Joon's voice came from above. When I looked up, I saw him standing atop a large set piece, looking down with awe.

“Am I really jumping from here? It’s safe, right?"

“The staff have checked multiple times, and it's totally safe. There has been a similar setup in the past two years, and we haven’t had any accidents, so don't worry, Yoo-Joon."

For the storyline in Chronos's upcoming song, Goh Yoo-Joon's role involved a dramatic exit by backing off the prop, which to the audience would appear as if he had vanished into thick smoke. In reality, he'd be making a backward jump onto a safety mat. However, even with the mat, the jump was a bit daunting.

“It's scary but seems fun. Should I give it a try now?" Goh Yoo-Joon, who seemed a bit apprehensive, quickly regained his confidence and leaped down to the mat with ease.

Until just a moment ago, everyone was tense with nervousness. But now, we seemed much more relaxed, thanks to the smooth progression of the rehearsal. The main concern, however, was the sound system. This was KEW’s first time hosting such a large-scale year-end stage, and the sound was inconsistent.

The sound in our in-ear monitors was slightly off during “Blue Room Party,” and the MR was either too loud or our voices weren't coming through clearly during “Parade.” Such issues were common in large-scale productions, but for people like us with limited experience, it was a cause for concern.

“Let's run through Chronos's set once more. This time, start with the video."

The rehearsal resumed.

***

The sound issues persisted in the second and third rehearsals. Despite our meticulous practice, there were not only technical problems but also mistakes from the staff. Hence, as the rehearsals progressed, the director started showing signs of irritation.

Eventually, we concluded the tense rehearsal. Observing our stiff demeanor, the director belatedly praised us.

Then came a welcome break, so we headed to a nearby restaurant for a late lunch.

“I will have the cheese pork cutlet," Jin-Sung announced as we entered.

“Manager, can I have ramen?" Goh Yoo-Joon asked.

Before the manager could respond, Joo-Han firmly shook his head. “What? Ramen? You need a proper meal. Ramen won’t digest well right now."

Then, Goh Yoo-Joon responded with a playful smile and said, “But hyung, you used to make ramen for us. Was that because ramen was the only thing you could cook?"

“...” Yoo-Joon’s words hit right on the mark. Joo-Han then silently smacked Goh Yoo-Joon on the back and went inside.

“You all did a great job during rehearsal," said our manager as he finished ordering. He then smiled with pride. “The sound department had some issues, but you all handled it well."

“Actually, it wasn’t just sound issues," I said while pouring water. I understood the general director's frustration. After all, the sound issues were a significant mistake on the part of the production team, and there were times when either the lighting or the camera operators made some errors, which made it feel like the entire setup wasn't fully prepared. Hence, it was understandable why the director's were becoming increasingly nervous, as he was pressured to deliver a successful broadcast.

“Anyway, we need to stay sharp for the live show. The unexpected glitches during rehearsals might just be a preview. I heard from Allure's seniors that on-stage surprises are more common than we'd think," Joo-Han advised.

Joo-Han usually worried the most in such situations, but today he seemed remarkably composed, which set a reassuring tone for the rest of us. Even so, I could tell that he was putting on a brave face to hide his concerns about our less-than-perfect rehearsal.

“The technical team assured us they would resolve these issues before the live broadcast. Let's eat well and regain our strength. Despite the challenges, being on the actual stage gave us a better feel, didn't it?”

“Definitely better than the big rehearsal room," Goh Yoo-Joon agreed, as he decided on soybean paste stew[1] over ramen.

Suddenly, Joo-Han asked with a look of realization, “Yoo-Joon, do you have any plans after the performance ends?"

“Me? Nothing specific. Aren't we heading straight to the next music festival rehearsals?"

The manager confirmed, “Yes, unfortunately, it's going to be a non-stop schedule until early next year."

I then gave the manager my phone for monitoring, sympathizing with his apparent guilt. “

Practicing

beats

resting

any day. After all, we all want to shine on the big stage."

Our manager had previously managed schedules for more seasoned artists like Allure hyungs, so he was still adjusting to our relentless pace.

As we chatted, our meals arrived. Playing the role of an attentive hyung, Joo-Han distributed the plates to everyone and continued his conversation with Goh Yoo-Joon, “Well, I meant after the stage practice."

“After practice? Probably just crash in bed. Why do you ask?"

“If you can manage, let's head to the studio together."

Goh Yoo-Joon, who had been casually drinking water, coughed in surprise. “Me? Not Suh Hyun-Woo? You mean Producer Do’s studio?"

“Where else would it be?"

“Eh, are you sure you want me to come?" asked Goh Yoo-Joon with his resting bitch face on. Producer Do was notoriously prickly. Thinking of this, Yoo-Joon seemed apprehensive as his face showed signs of reluctance.

“I haven’t done anything to offend Producer Do," said Goh Yoo-Joon.

“Of course not. You haven’t seen him recently. He wants to talk about songwriting."

“Really?" Goh Yoo-Joon's hand froze in mid-air.

“He suggested increasing Chronos’s involvement in songwriting, like with 'Blue Room Party.’"

“Wow, that’s great!" exclaimed Goh Yoo-Joon, his face lit up with excitement. To be personally invited by the meticulous Producer Do to contribute to the new song's lyrics was clearly a thrilling opportunity for him.

The manager observed the conversation and added, “I was hesitant to bring this up, given everyone's busy schedule."

“Yes? What is it?"

“What is it about?"

“There were complaints about cigarette smells in Yoon-Chan and Jin-Sung's room. So, after our success with 'Blue Room Party,' I proposed moving out of that building. The approval just came through.”

Silence enveloped the table. Jin-Sung, who had been enjoying his pork cutlet, stopped and looked up with wide eyes. He asked, “Are we moving?"

The manager gave a slight nod and replied, “Yes, soon. The exact location hasn't been decided yet, but it should be settled by the end of the year-end stages."

“Wow, really? Finally! I've suffered so much because of the smell!" Jin-Sung feigned tears of joy.

“Right? I am sorry that we couldn’t resolve this earlier. We can’t let you stay in a building with a disgusting smell. It’s also not good for your health.”

“Oh my gosh. Can you please stay as our manager forever?"

“Yeah, the thought of Hyung being our temporary manager is really sad."

Jin-Sung and Yoon-Chan’s words made the manager smile wistfully.

“That's not for me to decide... But while I’m here, I will do my best. I’m sure someone even better will come along."

‘No way! No one could possibly be as attentive as Manager Su-Hwan!’

As I expressed my disappointment with a look, the manager averted his gaze and resumed eating. We quickly emptied our plates as everyone was hungry, and soon we got back into the car and headed toward the venue. We had been animatedly discussing potential houses for our move, but as soon as the stadium came into view, we fell silent and tensed up again.

“Look at that, there are so many people."

“It looks like they are the audience."

“Right? You can tell by the light sticks and banners they are holding."

It was 1 PM, and despite the ongoing rehearsal, the area outside the stadium was already brimming with people. Lines of fans from various artists were forming, including our own fans, the Rings.

Was it our growing affection for the fans? Until recently, the presence of other artists' fans would have made us nervous, but now the desire to present our best performance to our own fans intensified our tension. And this wasn't just me. The other members also displayed a mixture of determination and anxiety on their faces.

“Let’s stay sharp and give it our all. Even if there are issues with the MR or microphones, we will just keep going," Joo-Han said with conviction, and the response from the others was robust.

The main rehearsal was next, and then the live show would roll. We were all determined to finish without a hitch, driven by nothing but the desire to succeed.

1. Doenjang-jjigae (Korean: ????) is a Korean traditional jjigae (stew-type dish), made from the primary ingredient of doenjang (soybean paste), and additional optional ingredients vegetables, seafood, and meat. It is one of the most iconic and popular traditional dishes in Korean cuisine ☜