Chapter 188: Joy (25)

The MV shoot was rife with behind-the-scenes stories: the biting cold and eerie encounters, not to mention the endless bloopers and sprinting down corridors, or the times we took turns filming each other with hand-held camcorders. In retrospect, this shoot was rich with stories to tell compared to the “Parade" shoot.

- What story should I kick off with? Hmm, let's see.

Joo-Han mulled over which episode to share first. Hearing this, Goh Yoo-Joon, who had been holding onto the laptop, rolled his eyes. He then flashed a sly grin and suddenly stood up, handing me the laptop. He said, “I will be right back."

He seemed to decide it was the perfect moment to chime in now that the conversation had veered away from strictly music-related topics.

“Grab some water on your way. Looks like hyung's out of coffee," I said as I noticed the empty disposable cup on the live feed. Goh Yoo-Joon nodded and scooped up the drip coffee we had bought for Joo-Han and disappeared into his room.

“Yo, hyung!"

“Ah, come on, I'm in the middle of a live here..."

Click.

A brief flurry of noise ensued in Joo-Han's room. It took about ten seconds before Goh Yoo-Joon emerged in the live stream and swung the door open.

- Ah, what's up? Barging in during a live, really?

- Just thought I'd bring you some coffee. I knew you were on air.

Goh Yoo-Joon handed over the coffee and casually took a seat beside Joo-Han.

- Hey there, Rings! We've been watching the live together from the living room.

- Is Jin-Sung tuning in too? I was about to delve into a story he'd absolutely hate.

- Jin-Sung caught wind and bolted long ago.

- Haha, I knew it. For those of you wondering...

The playful exchange between them was utterly contagious. As I watched, a wave of vitality washed over me and compelled me to rise from my seat. “I'm joining in as well, Yoon-Chan.”

Yoon-Chan felt the same vibe and stood up. “Me too. I will grab a chair from the kitchen."

“I will take care of my own chair, so you just bring yours and head inside first," I suggested, holding the laptop securely. With that settled, I proceeded to Jin-Sung's room. It still had the faint aroma of cigarettes, so it was used as a makeshift storage area rather than a living space. I was curious about what he was doing inside.

I suppressed a chuckle and tapped lightly on the door.

Knock, knock.

“Are they done chatting about me?"

“They just started. Open the door first. I've got something for you.”

Before Jin-Sung could even get to the door, I set the laptop down by the door and made a beeline for Joo-Han's room. As Jin-Sung's exasperated sigh filled the air behind me, I flung open Joo-Han's door and stepped into the room. All eyes immediately turned to me.

“What's got you rushing in like that?"

“Just... no typical reason.”

“I brought the chair for you, too."

Just then, Jin-Sung burst in with his eyes shooting daggers my way and exclaimed, “Ah! Hyung, you just left the laptop lying there by my door and bolted away!"

“I just tried to help you out so that you can enjoy it."

As the conversation veered toward Jin-Sung and the laptop, the room filled with laughter because everyone got the joke and the light-hearted spirit in which it was intended.

— The Chronies[1] are having fun without us again lol

— Let us in on the fun, why all the laughter!!!

— Lol, what did Jin-Sung do to get such a reaction from everyone?

Joo-Han tried to contain his laughter and glanced at the chat. “For those of you wondering what's got us all chuckling, it's about this one time during our last music video shoot when we kept running into these odd—"

“Aaahh!!! Aaaah!!!" Jin-Sung couldn't handle the reminder and dashed out of the room in a flash.

We couldn't help but erupt into laughter at Jin-Sung's dramatic exit and eventually managed to collect ourselves and continue the conversation.

I said, “He's a bit shy and gets easily spooked. That explains his reaction.”

Joo-Han acknowledged my words with a nod. “During the music video shoot, we encountered some truly strange occurrences, as if we were amidst a series of paranormal events, wouldn't you agree?"

“Absolutely.”

Goh Yoo-Joon casually shrugged and said, “Personally, I didn't witness anything unusual, so I can't really say, but Suh Hyun-Woo and Jin-Sung seemed to be constantly wrapped up in these experiences."

I nodded in agreement and then pondered aloud, “It might just be my imagination, but there's this particular scene in the music video where I'm tucked away under the lectern."

“Oh, right."

“And then, from somewhere above..." I tapped the table lightly a few times to demonstrate. “I heard the distinct sound of someone tapping on the lectern, clear and unmistakable. But after we finished filming, it became apparent to me that the set had been completely silent, with no one moving around."

“So... who in the world was tapping on the lectern? Something like that,” Goh Yoo-Joon said with a dramatic flair.

“On top of that, Jin-Sung actually saw something that made him scream," Yoon-Chan chimed in, prompting a satisfied smile from Joo-Han.

“It's said that such things appear to those who are frightened. It seems they don't manifest to me, Yoon-Chan, or Yoo-Joon, you know."

“And what about Suh Hyun-Woo?"

“Perhaps Hyun-Woo's energy was somewhat depleted that day? It looks like we ought to take extra care of him."

I laughed and pointed toward Joo-Han. “Everyone, Joo-Han seemed to really relish the moment when Jin-Sung screamed upon seeing something."

“Hey, quiet now! Shh, shh!"

“You saw it, didn't you? He liked how Jin-Sung saw the ghost! He said this is going to be a huge success for us!”

— AHAHAHA, Joo-Han!!!

— The undisputed master of copyright dreams lol

— Jin-Sung is going to suffer from this forever 😂

I refrained from bringing up the awkward situation involving me and the two managers because it was a story too lengthy for the moment.

“Oh, by the way, all that talk about Jin-Sung's college and his cuteness? Completely fabricated," I mentioned and cast a glance at Joo-Han.

He smirked with a hint of intrigue.

“Joo-Han seems to take a certain pleasure in witnessing the members' irritation. How come you mention the two with the least aegyo[2] as the cutest?" Goh Yoo-Joon asked, only to see Joo-Han respond with a puzzled tilt of his head.

“Not at all, Yoo-Joon. I simply selected the members I found most endearing by my own criteria."

“Ah, I feel so left out. I knew you had a thing for Hyun-Woo and Yoon-Chan."

“Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Yoo-Joon, you are adorable too. You do know you are loved, right?"

“Yeah, I love you too." Amidst their heartfelt confessions, laughter filled the air.

I observed Goh Yoo-Joon and Joo-Han with a bittersweet gaze. “What's going on with you two? Making all this noise like you are at some festival. I'm heading out."

I then stood up and clasped Yoon-Chan's hand firmly. After that, I said, “Come on, Goh Yoo-Joon. Let’s go. Let Joo-Han hyung wrap up his live session."

Our chatter had sparked toward the end of Joo-Han's livestream. Now, it was time for the members to go to bed and hasten their exit so Joo-Han could finish interacting with the fans and conclude the livestream.

“Let's all head out together. Have fun, hyung."

“Yep. Good night."

“To all our Rings, we are excited to see you at tomorrow's showcase!"

“Sleep well, everyone! Farewell!"

We stepped out with those words and bade the fans a warm goodbye. After a whirlwind of chatter, sleep quickly claimed us as we missed how Joo-Han ended the broadcast.

***

Kang Joo-Han stared at the closed door. The members had swarmed in and out quickly and left him in solitude once again. Alone, he sensed a different kind of quietness, a lingering emptiness.

“It's gotten so quiet all of a sudden." Kang Joo-Han mused aloud, his eyes fixed on the screen.

“They are such adorable kids, and they make as much racket here as they do back at the dorm."

— The dorm's even rowdier than the broadcasts, lol

— Felt like a tornado went through here, hahaha. My ears are ringing from these earphones 😂

— I can't stop laughing lmao. I laughed so hard with the members I thought my sides would split ??

Kang Joo-Han glanced through the fans' comments with a content smile and then remarked, “It's about time to close off, but something just crossed my mind. It’s about our upcoming inauguration ceremony."

Given Goh Yoo-Joon's knack for keeping up with fan posts better than any other member, Kang Joo-Han's mention would likely reach Goh Yoo-Joon's ears by the next morning. It had been an impromptu gift for Suh Hyun-Woo, and now, a surprise awaited Goh Yoo-Joon as well.

Imagining Goh Yoo-Joon's reaction the following morning brought a smile to Kang Joo-Han's face. Joo-Han said, “I've been piecing together a few more tracks for the ceremony. One is a group song, and another is..."

He trailed off and then added in a softer tone, “It's a solo piece for our Yoo-Joon. I haven't broken the news to Yoo-Joon yet, so I'm counting on you all to pass it along."

— ??????????

— A solo track for Yoo-Joon???

— OMG :0 Yoo-Joon aaaah

— Joo-Han, you are a genius!!!

— Just got chills, what a reveal....

“I'm going to sign off now. Thanks for sticking around so late. See you tomorrow, everyone. Sleep tight and goodbye." After the announcement of Goh Yoo-Joon's solo track, Kang Joo-Han concluded the live broadcast for the night.

***

“Sigh.”

A deep exhale sent a mist of breath into the chilly air and faded swiftly. I gazed up at the morning sky, and the crisp winter sun dazzled my eyes.

“Ready, everyone?" I asked as I tightened my grip on Yoon-Chan's cold, trembling hand.

“Yes."

“We are all set."

Today marked the showcase day—the moment we'd unveil our performance to the world for the very first time. I checked on all the members and then lightly took the lead, climbing the stairs.

Yoon-Chan seemed quite nervous, but surprisingly, I wasn't feeling that anxious this time. The rehearsal had been perfect, and we had practiced the interviews beforehand. All in all, we had prepared so thoroughly that it was impossible to make a mistake, which allowed me to walk more at ease, without any pressure.

1. A cute way of Rings call Chronos members. ☜

2. Aegyo is all about being super cute and affectionate, often involving speaking in a high-pitched voice, making adorable facial expressions, and using charming gestures. ☜