Chapter 285: First Full Album (21)

The attire of the members had taken on a lighter, more vibrant tone. They were predominantly in various shades of brown. I sported a relaxed brown shirt, paired with a robe, dangling earrings, and an array of bracelets and rings. My outfit exuded a laid-back vibe compared to the previous "Phantom Spirit" performance.

Other members had opted for intricately patterned, lightweight shirts or draped scarves around their necks and waists, adding an exotic touch to their appearance. Jin-Sung's endearing headband was particularly eye-catching.

The stage screens ignited with flames in harmony with the new track "Flamma.”

“Chronos, let's go!"

“Let’s!"

There was no dramatic blackout. Instead, we entered gracefully while clasping our hands, as the flashes and shutter sounds resumed in a continuous flurry. Though the flashes were blinding, I maintained a poised smile and concealed any discomfort.

Soon, the prelude of "Flamma" commenced. A melodic guitar pluck followed by a cascade of trendy chords. I positioned myself at the center and swayed comfortably to the rhythm while embodying the essence of the song's relaxed, carefree vibe.

The gentle sway of my robe hinted at the impending choreography, which seamlessly unfolded as the Afro rhythm[1] intertwined with the guitar pluck. This signaled the start of our dance. Despite being a group choreography, we executed it with effortless fluidity while prioritizing the emotive essence over technical intricacies.

During rehearsals, it had become apparent that the essence of this song lay in its emotional resonance rather than complex dance routines. While Joo-Han, Goh Yoo-Joon, and I had swiftly grasped its essence, Jin-Sung had struggled to fully embody its spirit.

The lyrics echoed with poignant imagery, capturing the bittersweet emotions of longing and resignation:

? Laughter spills between my lips,

A small flame ignites beneath my voice

Yes, I know. I only see your back right now

You have so much, and I have nothing to lose

Although masking itself as Latino-inspired, the song was inherently rooted in the pop genre, infused with Afro rhythms. The Afro rhythm drums faded out and left only the intermittent guitar plucks in the introduction.

The bass was layered with synthesizer tones subtle enough for listeners not to clearly discern. The vocals punctuated rhythm points in sync with the guitar and expressed a subdued anger in lyrics implying eventual vindication despite current disregard. Then, the reemergence of the muted Afro rhythm followed, subtly altering the continuous guitar chords to crescendo the song. The drums gradually increased in volume as the song transitioned into the chorus.

? Creaking stairs,

I ascend with ease under everyone’s gaze

It was really good that I became the protagonist

The chorus transitioned seamlessly into a synchronized choreography. As we moved with fluidity and precision, we embodied the song's essence with each graceful movement.

? I prepared for myself quietly and secretly

No more laughter now,

I can no longer see you

The mood oscillated between melancholy and tension, yet there was an underlying sense of liberation. This song was favored among the members over “Phantom Spirit," and it resonated universally as it transcended cultural boundaries to captivate both domestic and international fans alike.

? We are no longer together

You keep walking slowly,

Try to scheme

I rise up quickly

Karma, Blue flamma.

As the song reached its crescendo, I took center stage along with Joo-Han, Goh Yoo-Joon, and Yoon-Chan. Then, I seamlessly passed the torch to Jin-Sung. He poured all his pent-up frustration into a powerful final performance, despite having no lines in the rap sections or an individual dance part.

He was so energetic that the bulky strings tied around his forehead snapped and flew off somewhere while dancing. It seemed almost as if I could hear the stylist gasping in horror from behind.

The string hit Goh Yoo-Joon in the stomach as he danced behind me, and I quickly averted my gaze to maintain my expression in line with the song as I saw this first-hand. Goh Yoo-Joon glanced at his stomach, laughed lightly, and then refocused on the performance. Finally, the stage ended.

I was curious about the reactions our song and performance would receive upon release since it was different from our usual tracks. It was hard to tell if the journalists liked it or not from their facial expressions, but the sporadic cheers while snapping photos seemed to suggest the reactions weren’t bad.

“Thank you!"

After the stages we had prepared ended and we moved to snapping photos according to the schedule, the months of hard work seemed to disappear in an instant as the showcase came to an end. It felt like the first day of our comeback had passed all too quickly.

“Waaaaaah!!!"

After coming off stage, we greeted the staff and entered the dressing room, where we were met with applause from Team Chronos and shared a cake. It had been a successful stage, so we definitely had successful results.

In the excited atmosphere, Su-Hwan shared some more dramatic news. “Yoon-Chan, you passed the audition."

He was talking about Yoon-Chan's successful audition for the TV show he had mentioned recently.

“What? Really?"

“Wow, Yoon-Chan passed! Congrats, Yoon-Chan~."

“Uh, oh wow..." Yoon-Chan stared at Su-Hwan with wide, trembling eyes as if tears might fall at any moment.

The members all grabbed Yoon-Chan by his shoulders and congratulated him. He trembled, tears in his eyes.

“Is Yoon-Chan crying?"

“Crying?"

“Ah... no, no."

“Don't cry, my baby! Hahaha!!!" Goh Yoo-Joon hugged Yoon-Chan tightly and imitated Joo-Han.

“Let’s hug Yoon-Chan, guys." Joo-Han did, and then Jin-Sung. The members all piled up in a round of hugs in front of the cameras.

I grimaced, but Joo-Han’s brainwashing and habits were frightening. I unconsciously followed Joo-Han's words and found myself hugging Yoon-Chan too.

The comeback celebration cake had now turned into a cake celebrating Yoon-Chan's audition success. It had been an unusually worry-free and joyful comeback day.

***

After finishing the comeback showcase, everyone dispersed to their respective tasks after showering at the dorm. Joo-Han slept in for the first time in a while, and Yoon-Chan and Jin-Sung went to eat with Su-Hwan.

Meanwhile, I went with Goh Yoo-Joon to check out the gaming computer at the company and then got back into the car.

“Man, I really think YMM is mean."

I laughed while soothing an irritated Goh Yoo-Joon. Supervisor Kim did buy the gaming computer as promised, but instead of bringing it to Chronos's dorm, it was left as a YMM communal PC. He placed the gaming computer in the company so that anyone who needed it could come and use it, as if it belonged to an internet cafe.

I felt a bit bitter thinking that they were so reluctant to spend money on us, but I quickly realized it was foolish of me to expect anything different from them. After all, they had recently taken out a loan to move our dorm, so perhaps it was too much to expect them to also give us a gaming computer. When we get paid one day, it might be faster for me and Goh Yoo-Joon to just buy our own computers rather than trying to get one from YMM.

However, this topic was quickly put aside. We had more pressing matters to attend to today.

“Are you ready?"

“...Sigh."

Beep, beep beep. Click.

As I sighed reflexively, Goh Yoo-Joon frowned while pulling the car out of the parking lot. “What's the problem on such a good day? Talk to me, man."

I shook my head. “I'm fine. Why? What's up?"

Goh Yoo-Joon also sighed as he backed up the car and drove forward. His driving skills had improved. I hadn't been in a car driven by him since he was learning to drive, but it seemed he had been practicing with friends since then.

Goh Yoo-Joon familiarly set up the GPS. The destination was my parents' house. Yes, today was the day we had planned to visit them. Seeing the familiar address, I almost sighed again, but held it in as I noticed Goh Yoo-Joon glancing at me.

“Did you have a fight with your mom? Or your sister? Why did both of them call me to ask about you?"

“That's not it. I don't know. Why would they call you?"

“Man, answer their calls. Your parents are worried. Be extra nice when we get home today, okay?"

“Yeah, sorry."

I had mentally prepared myself since I didn't want to go alone and face the scrutiny of my whole family. I had asked Goh Yoo-Joon to come with me, and he had readily agreed.

“I wanted to see them anyway, so I was wondering when you'd go. Be ready to get scolded. Your sister was really gearing up for it."

“I got scolded over the phone recently. She said she'd come find me if I didn't show up. I really messed up."

“Exactly, Suh Hyun-Woo. We live so close to your home."

There was no postponing it any longer. I had always made promises to visit, but I kept delaying. If not today, the busy schedule of the comeback and upcoming variety shows would leave no opportunity for a visit.

I was thankful that Goh Yoo-Joon was with me. “...Yoon-Joon, I will buy dinner on the way back. Thanks."

“Woah, I got goosebumps, dude. What's up with you? Seriously, stop it with the cheesy stuff."

People said that by your mid-twenties, you become able to express more to those who deserve it.

I just chuckled and looked straight ahead. The first building in the distant apartment complex that came into view was my home. As I saw the house I hadn't seen in about seven years, a sense of nostalgia and warmth slowly welled up within me.

1. Afro rhythm, also known as Afrobeat, is a genre originating from West Africa in the late 1960s, blending traditional African music with jazz, funk, and highlife, characterized by complex percussion rhythms and addressing social and political issues. ☜