Chapter 350: Concert (14)

People said happiness truly follows great trials. Recently, Rings had been riding a wave of excitement as Chronos was bustling with activity that made their supposed break seem nonexistent.

YMM Entertainment was taking advantage of the buzz. They celebrated Chronos' first concert by dropping a barrage of videos on

UTube

every single day. The variety was staggering with behind-the-scenes footage from broadcasts, festivals, music videos, holiday clips filmed by the members themselves, and even freshly created variety shows like escaping from the practice room. This made sure Rings remained glued to their screens.

The members frequently popped up on

Q-app

for live sessions, and whispers about the real identity of Eden have stirred up intrigue amidst this.

Was it just a rumor? Who knows? Kim Go-Ri was one of the many Rings thrashing in happiness. She was most fervently digging into the mystery of Eden's identity in the middle of the onslaught of content.

Although she had watched other uploaded videos to the point of exaggeratingly replaying them hundreds of times and memorizing the dialogues, her main focus remained on unraveling who Eden really was.

- Gosh, I can't wait anymore. When will they reveal who it is? Now that everyone kinda knows... Just take off the mask, Hyun-Woo... I’m seriously dying of curiosity.

- No way, it’s too obvious lol

- We can still feel the awkwardness from behind the mask. This is just priceless 😂

- Will Eden pop up in the next episode? That should seal the deal.

- But isn’t it a problem if it's really Hyun-Woo? With a concert and even a solo song coming up, how can he still manage to do this? YMM, please get it together and consider your artists’ health!!!

Some found Suh Hyun-Woo's attempts to hide his identity as Eden adorable and hoped he would seize this chance to showcase his main vocal talents. Others thought it was all too much and wished it wasn’t him.

But the consensus was crystal clear that Eden had to be Suh Hyun-Woo. The Rings started it, and now,

UTube

was flooded with evidence confirming Eden was Suh Hyun-Woo. No one, fan or non-fan, was left in the dark anymore.

Kim Go-Ri herself was convinced and consumed every piece of content released under Eden's name with voracious interest.

"Ah, the way he fidgets with his gloves is so endearing."

"Hey, what will you do if it turns out Eden isn’t Hyun-Woo?" her sister, Kim Hyang-Su asked.

Kim Go-Ri shook her head firmly. Her eyes were still glued to the screen. "No way, it’s definitely Hyun-Woo. Just listen to him. Even his speech pattern is the same. Can't you recognize an Allure member even when they are masked? They have these little habits, you know."

Kim Hyang-Su was instantly convinced because of Kim Go-Ri’s logic. "That’s true. They are recognizable from a mile away just by the way they breathe~"

Just then, Kim Go-Ri’s phone vibrated with a notification.

[Special Clip] Hyun-Woo (Hyun-woo) - Sirens (4K)

"AAAAAH!!!"

"Gosh! You scared me! What the heck?"

Kim Go-Ri was completely obsessed. "It’s here!!! Sirens, Sirens!"

"If mom was home, you would be in so much trouble." Kim Hyang-Su gave Kim Go-Ri a look of mock exasperation and went back into her room.

"You would do the same if this was about Allure!" Kim Go-Ri yelled back at her sister and hurriedly clicked on the Chronos

UTube

channel with her heart pounding.

Last week Lee Jin-Sung’s song came out, three days ago it was Kang Joo-Han’s turn, and today, the spotlight was on Suh Hyun-Woo’s solo song with a special clip. YMM seemed to have finally gotten their act together as the solo songs and video quality from members were top-notch, starting with Yoon-Chan’s.

Park Yoon-Chan had unveiled a completely different image, immersed in nature and tropical settings. Lee Jin-Sung had satisfied fans with an image true to his usual refined demeanor. The youngest member, known for his cute and affectionate personality, offered a refreshing charm. His live clip exuded the freshness of a first love from school days.

.

Kang Joo-Han’s first solo song also threw the Rings for a loop. Normally seen as the subtle comic of the group, he was the reliable oldest member and leader of Chronos. He was known for his intelligence and charisma but occasionally showed his quirky and unique charm.

One would expect his solo song to be a soft ballad reflecting his taste or a cute, bouncy track.

Though musically talented, he wasn’t a standout member when only considering vocal and dance skills within Chronos. Therefore, no one expected him to bring a dance song as his first solo track.

But Kang Joo-Han's solo track was a fiercely powerful and undeniably sexy dance piece.

‘When you think about it, YMM really played it smart this time.'

If you dive into the gossip from their trainee days, you'd find that Kang Joo-Han consistently outscored Suh Hyun-Woo in their monthly evaluations. This solo track clip made it clear why. Kang Joo-Han was usually overshadowed on stage by the likes of Suh Hyun-Woo, Lee Jin-Sung, and Goh Yoo-Joon. However, his prowess was unmistakable in his solo performance.

And then, there was the visual shocker. Who would've predicted Kang Joo-Han rocking a lip piercing for his solo song? As the concert was looming, all the members were stepping up and revealing new sides of themselves with unparalleled quality.

Thus, expectations were naturally sky-high for Suh Hyun-Woo's "Sirens".

‘Oh my goodness. My heart is pounding.'

What will the concept be this time? Kim Go-Ri was engulfed in anticipation, and she found herself struggling to breathe as she clicked on the newly uploaded video. Her favorite member Suh Hyun-Woo was neither masked nor merely standing and singing. It had been ages since she last saw him perform so authentically, singing and dancing as his true self.

***

The video kicked off predictably with "Sirens" in stark white letters against a black backdrop.

"Sirens."

Moments after the white text faded, the scene shifted to a bedroom bathed in purple light. The bedroom was empty and enveloped in an eerie background music that seemed out of place.

‘What is this?'

When one heard of the term "Sirens," visions of a dreamy and golden-hued sea come to mind. Yet what appeared was a bedroom slightly off-kilter in its lighting.

As Kim Go-Ri pondered the thematic intent behind the song, the bedroom lights flickered menacingly. Then, the screen began to swirl as if laced with hallucinogens. The background music distorted further, spiraling into harsh discord of noises.

Just as Kim Go-Ri’s brow furrowed in annoyance, the lights snapped off with a click and plunged the screen back into darkness. Moments later, the brightness returned and revealed a pristine golden temple with Suh Hyun-Woo and the dancers making their grand entrance. Kim Go-Ri’s frown smoothed into a smile of relief.

She spotted something and leapt to her feet. "The hair! The long tied-up hair!"

Her words tumbled out in a rush of excitement as Suh Hyun-Woo appeared on screen with a long ponytail cascading down as he looked off to the side. On top of that, he was draped in a billowy ivory outfit and had jewels adorning his face. Chronos’ stylist clearly shared a taste similar to Kim Go-Ri’s.

Her chair toppled over with a loud crash.

Kim Hyang-Su burst into the room, flinging the door open with a bang. "Keep it down! Do you think you live here alone? I'm trying to work on an assignment here!"

Kim Go-Ri blurted out loudly as she was caught up in the moment. "Suh Hyun-Woo is a Siren!" There was a mystical allure that Suh Hyun-Woo exuded when he performed ethereal tracks. It aligned perfectly with the "Sirens" concept. To Kim Go-Ri, Suh Hyun-Woo was the embodiment of the Sirens song itself.

As Suh Hyun-Woo finally locked eyes with the camera, the intro music began. His expression transitioned to a radiant smile. What followed was an upbeat dance sequence.

? Yeah- How have you been?

Under the beautiful sunshine,

I pull your hand toward me

The earlier menacing purple vibe had vanished. The live performance was now bright, joyous, and vibrant. The occasional sound of an ocarina floated through the air. Suh Hyun-Woo weaved between the dancers and sang.

? What do you want to do today?

Let's quietly whisper and do whatever you desire

While there was no intense dance typical of Suh Hyun-Woo, the quality of the song and his performance more than compensated.

Just as Kim Go-Ri was basking in the pleasure of the performance, the screen abruptly shifted. It appeared to be shot with a camcorder and showed Suh Hyun-Woo laughing with someone. He then took someone's hand off-camera and headed somewhere.

‘It’s clearly a date scene.’

Kim Go-Ri's expression twisted oddly.

'How should I feel about this?'

She wasn’t into the simulated dating drama with Chronos. She had become a fan because she loved their stage presence, their humanity, and the genuine affection they showed each other. But that didn’t mean she wanted to see her favorite singer dating someone else.

‘Ah, the storyline sucks. I wish they’d just release the live footage separately later

.'

Of course, seeing such a rare, soft smile from Suh Hyun-Woo was truly a treat.

"Pfft!"

Amidst the alternating scenes of live footage and additional filmed segments, a cameo momentarily captured Kim Go-Ri's attention. It was someone with an undeniable presence because he always effortlessly drew all eyes to him.

There he was, strolling sweetly behind Suh Hyun-Woo on a date in the park, awkwardly bumping into a tree. He beamed like sunlight and deliberately made eye contact with the camera while energetically waving his hand.

"What's going on here?"

It was a fleeting moment, but Kim Go-Ri's gaze had locked with his.

"Isn't that Joon?" she blurted out.

Just then, Goh Yoo-Joon appeared once more on the screen. This time, he was behind Suh Hyun-Woo at a cafe, forming a heart with his hands and flashing an exaggeratedly cheerful smile toward the camera.

‘Awww, my Yoo-Joon is indeed the world's most entertaining man!'

In a moment of distraction, Kim Go-Ri chuckled loudly and moved her cursor to rewind and catch another glimpse of Goh Yoo-Joon.

"Ah." Kim Go-Ri hastily withdrew her hand from the mouse. The screen had been displaying a live performance set in an ancient temple, but it suddenly swirled into chaos. Then, it shifted scenes.

It returned to the purple bedroom that had been shown at the start. There, Suh Hyun-Woo stood illuminated and alone, surrounded by dancers whose faces were obscured by black hoods. The mood of the song shifted dramatically. The earlier cheerful expression vanished, and it was replaced by a dreamy and mysterious ambiance reminiscent of "Moon Sea."

"Wow." Her focus snapped back instantly. Suh Hyun-Woo was clearly a master at embodying such enigmatic concepts.